We Play It Hard Around Here

Transcription

150 Years Of Walcha Cricket
By Dac Croker
We Play It Hard
Around Here
By Dac Croker
We Play It
Hard Around
Here
1
Publisher Details
Publisher Name: Darrell Croker for The Walcha District Cricket Association
ISBN: 978-0-646-57535-3
Publication Date: 03/2012
Printed by WHO Printing
Subject: Australian Studies, Local History, Literature
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Contents
Acknowledgements..............................................................................4
Introduction..........................................................................................5
1. We Play It Hard Around Here.......................................................8
2. Opening Salvo (1861-1941): 80 not out..................................... 10
3. When The War Is Over (1946-1973):
Consolidating the innings and into three figures....................... 76
4. When The War Is Over (1974-2011): On to a big ton.............. 189
5. Country Specials and Emu Parades...........................................242
6. Corners Of The Mind................................................................266
7. The Lighter Side........................................................................366
8. Correspondence Entered Into....................................................385
9. Mrs Cott (Those who also serve)..............................................392
10. We Play It Hard Around Here (Reprise)....................................397
About The Author............................................................................404
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Acknowledgements
For Perd
T
HIS book would not have been possible without the help and support of many
people: Herbie Laurie, Rob and Sandra Laurie, Andrew and Linda Cross, Rob
and Katrina Blomfield, Ed Blomfield, Neville and Jean Holstein, Max Holstein,
Ruth Cotterill, David and Jim Fenwicke, Alick, Gordon and Ian Bird, Warwick
Fletcher, Gordon Jamieson, Douglas Jamieson, Peter Boyd, Stephen, Barbara,
Nathan and Kyle Goodwin, Phyllis Hoy, Ken Hoy, Tony Hoy, Barry Hoy, Owen
Sweeney, Stephen Sweeney, Frank Brazel, Irwin Brazel, Darrell Brazel, Arch
and Mary Natty, Peter Natty, Denis Wall, Mark Peters, Beverly Richardson,
Lyn Barwick, Colin Clowes (Cricket NSW librarian), Bruce Whitehouse (NSW
Cricket) Phil Ward (Heritage Centre of UNE Dixon Library), Donna Garrad
(Walcha Library), Rick and Michael Porter, Bob Walsh and the Walcha District
Historical Society. Thanks to Natalie Alcova for artistic direction, Jim Baird
because he’s been there done that, David Coleman because he cares, Phillipa
Palmer, Kirsty Stone, Lincoln Thomas, Phil Hamson, and Josh Vincent and Karen
Irvine from WHO Printing.
Cover picture and centre spread via Phyllis Hoy and courtesy of Bob Walsh
and the Walcha District Historical Society.
Special thanks to Petra, Harrison, Lachlan and Georgina Croker.
Not enough tribute can be paid to my brother Graham Croker, who mentored
me and edited the book.
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Introduction
I
n 2010 a small article in the Walcha News noted that cricket in the town would
celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2011. For many years I had dreamed of writing
the best stories of Walcha cricket. The brief article about the start of cricket in
Walcha was the catalyst I needed. I contacted some of the prominent members
of the Walcha cricket fraternity and proposed a book “about cricket in Walcha”.
The encouragement from them to “put something together” was overwhelming.
Twelve months later, after much research, I saw for the first time the page from an
Armidale Express of November 1861 with the notice from Walcha Cricket Club of
a “Second Meeting” at the Apsley Inn on Saturday evening, November 16. It seems
the Walcha cricket club had been formed on November 2. The advertisement for
the second meeting is sited between a notice for a benefit lecture by Mr W.D.
Cavanough on “Woman, phrenologically considered”, and the Armidale Debating
Class’s subject for Tuesday evening next, “Should the Military in the Colonies be
wholly supported by the Colonies or by the Imperial Government?”
Some things never change, it seems.
Despite the historic “event” of the 150th anniversary providing the motivation,
this book is not a complete history. And I know Walcha cricket deserves a fully
researched and written history, indeed Walcha sport, Walcha sportspeople who
have performed well in more than one code and probably the Holstein family of
Nowendoc, all deserve to be chronicled. Time and logistics counted against me
writing a proper history. But I tried. The great Australian Geoffrey Blainey wrote
A Short History of the World so I consider this my Short History of Walcha Cricket.
I went in search of Walcha cricket and I found the mysterious “A.G.” in Bell’s
Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer, a publication printed between 1845 and
1860. In the Saturday edition of November 9, 1850, the following was written in
the “Answers to Correspondents” column:
“A. G., WALCHA. – The guide is forwarded. We have no work on Cricket.”
Walcha and cricket in 1850? “Work” I assume is a book or collected writings,
as in The Complete Works of Shakespeare. A.G. must have been keen on shoring
up his knowledge of what was then a relatively new game.
I found lots of other interesting material too. I found that quite often sport
is the thread that holds the fabric of a community together. So there is a solid
historical component to the book, but it’s not the full history. And A.G. aside, I’m
guessing I’ve missed some good yarns and not paid homage to enough players and
characters. I’m guessing too that cricket was played in the Walcha district before
the meetings in the Apsley Inn in November 1861, at which it was decided to
form a team. I reckon those meetings were to create a town team and that the big
“runs”, Bergen-Op-Zoom, Ohio, Orandumbie, Europambela or Winterbourne for
instance, probably already had teams.
When I went searching for Walcha cricket I found Armidale cricket. The game
was being played there in 1850, another reason for my belief that cricket in the
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Walcha district probably started in the 1850s. The Armidale Express “Centenary
Supplement” of April 1956 noted that cricket was played regularly at Armidale as
early as 1850 and that several of the district’s pioneers were enthusiasts, notably
the Marsh family of Salisbury Court and the Taylors of Terrible Vale. The teams
from these two stations were the first to use the matting wicket, which, as one
early record says “was the means of materially improving the game, as good
cricket was impossible on the old, chipped, bumpy wicket, which did duty before
the introduction of the mat”. An English team first played at Armidale in 1885,
on the racecourse. From that time until 1901 every English team touring Australia
played at Armidale, while in 1894, Andrew Stoddart’s team played two matches
in Armidale.
I went looking for Walcha cricket, but I was soon grounded. Where, for
instance, did the Wanderers Aboriginal team play? In terms of names I decided
to go with The Park for the oval near the Walcha Bowling Club now known as
Captain Cook Park. The Bowling Club, which was positioned much closer to the
riverbank, ended up on The Park after the Apsley flooded in 1963. Eventually
the Bowling Club and The Park were re-sited in the early 1970s to accommodate
the levee banks. The Common also known as The Old Common was sited on the
north-west extremity of town off North Street. It was as well-known as a parking
place for paramours while Phil Lucas lit up another Garrick and respooled the
latest blockbuster. The New Common, on the Uralla Road, is now known as the
John Oxley sportsfields. Occasionally games were played at the Walcha Central
School secondary department near what is now the Multi-Function Centre.
Orandumbie Cricket Club played on that property’s racecourse, Walcha Road had
three grounds, Ken Hoy told me where Glen Morrison played, but I’d love to know
where Winterbourne, Emu Creek and Campfire staged matches.
I went looking for Walcha cricket and I found Ingalba and Ingleba, Ria Mukka
and Riamukka, Summervale and Summer Vale, New England (Walcha) and
Walcha-road, sixers and sixes, fives, fourers and fours. And I found fascinating
people wanting to talk about the game. Tape-recording some of the legends and
characters of Walcha cricket was amazing. And collating their anecdotes and
insights was a labour of love. But finding the voice was another matter. Chapter 3
for instance opens with a quote from Herb Laurie personifying a Gunnedah pitch.
The great American writer William Faulkner won his Nobel Prize partly because
of the way he reproduced the speech idioms of the American South. How does an
Australian writer convey Riamukka speech? Or fast-talkin’ Brazel from Ingleba?
Or Denis Wall yarn talk? Or contemplative Peter Boyd? All have a rhythm of
their own. The Laurie lilt and the Brazel banter. When Herbie Laurie and son Rob
Laurie speak, there’s a fascinating pattern and a terrific word choice as well. It
appears simple, but is in fact specific and affected.
“It shot,” Herb said of the Gunnedah pitch, with the emphasis on the “it” – a
live thing to be encountered along with the Gunnedah XI. And when Herb talks
of other players, everyone gets their name in full . . . “that Neville Holstein”, “that
Gordon Jamieson”, “old Andy Fletcher”, “old Fred Roper”, “that Roy Chandler”.
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But Lance Kermode is always “Lance”, apart from when Lance plays up
and he’s “that fella”. And Lance is only “he” when Herb lapses into sadness
contemplating the tragic end.
So I’m thinking Les Murray should come and have a yarn to the cricketing
families of Walcha to add to his vernacular republic.
The Australian tradition of cricket is that you’re a custodian of the game. Rob
Blomfield was the first bloke with whom I’d raised the idea of a book and now
his son is the Walcha District Cricket Association president. Rob was never the
president, but he was secretary and instrumental in getting the second turf wicket
in. He was also a Northern Tablelands selector and is mindful of cricket’s great
tradition. So I’ve no doubt the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree and cricket in
Walcha will be all the better for Ed’s presidency. The name of Blomfield in Walcha
cricket goes back to the 19th century and in the early part of the 20th century there
was an R. Blomfield opening. Wonder if he was a left-hander?
I went in search of Walcha cricket and I found Max Holstein. He was walking
out of the Riverview Aged Care facility when I was on my way in to interview
Alick Bird. I changed plans and had a coffee and a yarn with the consummate allrounder. It became obvious as my research and writing went on that he embodies
everything that Walcha cricket represents and everything that sportsmen and
people the world over should aspire to.
It may not be the greatest “history” written, but as Horace said: “He has half
the deed done who had made a beginning.” Sesquicentenary is a big word for a
young bloke from Fitzroy Street. But here we go . . .
7
N
EW England on the ropes. Was there a better feeling in Northern Tablelands
Cricket Council inter-district matches? In a game at Walcha’s New Common
30-odd years ago the home side had the Armidale boys reeling. But all was not lost
for the old enemy. Although they were a few down for not many, classy Combined
Country right-hander Rick Porter was at the crease, thoughts of rescuing his side
racing through his head. It was never to be. The Walcha bowlers were flinging
them down straight that day and Rick became one of the seven visiting bats
adjudged lbw.
Seven leg-befores. Fearful of being rapped on the pads and in an attempt to
counter what he may have thought was a trigger-happy ump, one of the other
Armidale batsman adopted an age-old approach. The one used against hostile fast
bowling or tight spin bowling. Play ’em from the other end. Work your singles and
rotate the strike. But one of the senior Walcha players thought he was “nothin’
but a trouble-maker”, and promptly mankaded him. There was no solace at the
non-striker’s end either. But that little exhibition of “sportsmanship” hasn’t been
the talking point in the 30-plus years since the game. It was the lbw of Porter, who
must have been fairly plumb because the umpire himself was so excited he went
up with an appeal. He quickly curbed his enthusiasm and adjudicated in favour of
the Walcha bowler who had turned to ask the legitimate question.
The Walcha inter-district team with the oh-so accurate bowlers in that game
against Armidale included Rob Laurie, Rob Blomfield, Denis Wall and Irwin
Brazel. They were all-rounders and great fieldsmen, qualities that have kept
Walcha cricket competitive for 150 years. They came into Walcha cricket during a
golden period that stretched from the 1950s through to 1970, and early on in their
careers they’d all notched up a War Veterans’ Cup win, the symbol of supremacy
in north and north-west cricket. They encapsulated the strong cricket pedigree and
nurturing into senior cricket that are hallmarks of the game in Walcha. Brazel
was an enigma, but at the heart of Walcha cricket is a larrikin element and a
competitiveness, and he had that in spades.
Educated in Armidale and with a decade of inter-district experience, he was
acutely aware of the psyche of the northern neighbours. Stationed at wide midon he was the last person Rick Porter encountered as he trudged off the New
Common. Brazel had retained his boyish good looks, but with his trademark grin
he resembled a cross between gap-toothed English comic actor Terry Thomas and
American film legend Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. With
left eyebrow slightly raised and a bemused smirk, he turned to Porter and uttered
the unforgettable words: “We play it hard around here.”
It’s just one anecdote from 150 years of Walcha cricket. For the first hundred
years “Walcha” cricket was a rural-based competition and just as synonymous
with the teams and family names from the small communities and agricultural
runs in the surrounding district as it was with the township itself.
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The times they were a changin’ in the 1960s and by the time Walcha players
took to the field from the mid-1970s the competition only had two ‘‘rural’’ teams,
Round Swamp and Walcha Road, but all the matches were played in town anyway,
at the New Common or The Park. Still, the names in the teams echoed those earlier
cricket times and the players retained the hallmarks the game had developed, not
the least family dynasties and long careers. In Irwin Brazel’s case, he’d started his
career with Ingleba, teaming-up with myriad relatives including his cousin, the
brilliant Lance Kermode.
0
11
22
33
Kilometres
9
Opening Salvo (1861-1941)
80 not out …
Another quarter of a mile, and then I get a full sight of the whole. There
are tents, booths, carriages, people – more people, in fact, than I thought
could be found in the district – to use the orthodox description suitable
for such occasion, all the elite, youth, and beauty of the district were there
assembled, to witness the great match of Salisbury versus Walcha, that
was then being contested.
A Wandering Reporter
S
even leg befores and a mankading. Just another chapter in Walcha’s cricketing
relationship with Armidale that possibly stretches back 160 years. The first
meeting that we know of to form a team in Walcha was held on November 2, 1861.
A subsequent notice in The Armidale Express confirmed this by advertising the
second meeting, set down for November 16, 1861 at the Apsley Arms, to appoint
office-bearers. But cricket was being played in Armidale in 1850 as various
newspapers at the time show. This article ran in Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting
Reviewer on Saturday, April 20, 1850.
“ARMIDALE
Cricket.– This thriving quarter of the interior, amongst its other sporting amusements,
stands A1 in its encouragement of the noble game of cricket. Seldom a week passes that
a match, either single or double, is not got up during the season, and an annual event
invariably comes off, which puts the abilities and practice of the players to the most
severe test. That of 1850 went off in first-rate style. The players on the one side were,
Messrs. David Kirkwood, Paul Kirkwood, T. B. Dowling, W. R. Bligh, J. Whittington,
Thomas Rae, J. Cohen, J. Mason, and G. Taylor; on the other, Messrs. D. Brothers,
C. W. Morris, R. Pauks, M’Kay, G. West, E. Butler, T. Blandford, M. Leaby, and T.
Gollidge. Kirkwood’s side, in the first innings, scored 50; second innings, 73; total,
123. Brothers’s side scored, first innings, 83; second innings, 41; total, 124, leaving
them winners by 1, with five wickets to go down. Some admirable play was exhibited
on both sides. After the match the parties adjourne to Mr. O’Dell’s, the Sportsman’s
Arms, to partake of a first-rate spread, in order to recruit their weary frames, and
“fight their cricket battles o’er again.” The evening was spent in the greatest hilarity.
Another match will be played on the 1st May, between the married and single of New
England, supported by gentlemen of the old school of sportsmen from the mother
country (bless her old heart)! Success to the bat, the ball, and the stumps.”
At least now we know why Armidalians are like they are. The Maitland
Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser published the details of that match
in Armidale between the married and the singles on Wednesday, May 15, 1850.
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ARMIDALE
Hunter River District News.
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.)
CRICKET MATCH.- The long-talked-of Cricket Match, between the married and
single men of the district, came off on Wednesday, the 1st inst., when the result proved
victorious to the bachelors. The married went in first and scored 33; the single then
took the bat, scoring 115; in the second innings the married scored 63, making 96 in
their two innings; consequently the bachelors won in one innings by 19 notches.
From the Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser four months later, this
appeared on Wednesday, September 11, 1850.
HUNTER RIVER DISTRICT NEWS
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS.]
ARMIDALE.
THE WEATHER. – The weather continues mild, and we have been favoured with a
sufficient quantity of rain to encourage the agriculturalists to rejoice in the hope of a
successful issue of their labours.
THE RACES. – The sporting community are on the qui vive in anticipation of the
forthcoming races, and from all the indications I have no doubt that their happiest
expectations will be fully realised. A great number of horses are in training, including
Mr Goodsir’s New Chum and Little John, Mr Protheroe’s Friendless, Mr Cohen’s
Tommy, Coquette, and Forester, Dr Markham’s Brian O’Lynn, Mr Doran’s Little
John, Mr Browne’s Countess and Blue Bonnet, Mr Rusden’s Fly, and Mr Cormie’s
Honest John. Sullivan’s Lot is also daily expected from the Clarence, including War
Eagle; and it is stated by some of the knowing ones that Sultan is on the road up; but
this I give as a rumour only.
CRICKET. – A meeting of the gentlemen in the habit of playing this noble game in
Armidale was held on the 27th ultimo, when resolutions were passed by which the first
Armidale Cricket Club was established; upwards of thirty members were enrolled. The
rules, &c. are in course of preparation, and it is believed that as some of the members were
of no little renown in the old country, the Armidale Cricket Club will in a short time be
able to vie with any in the colony.
QUARTERLY LICENSING MEETING. – A court of petty sessions was held on the
3rd instant, when the licence for the Apsley Arms Inn, Walcha, which had been suspended for three months, was granted to Mr Caldwell, formerly of Singleton. Several
publicans who applied were allowed licences to sell liquors on the course during the
race days.
September 5th, 1850
So cricket was being played in Armidale in 1850 and as we see, it was decided
to form a club. Reference to the Apsley Arms licence is interesting, first because
it shows Walcha was an established part of the district, and second, by way of a
wonderful convergence, the Apsley Arms Inn was the site for the formation of
the first cricket team in Walcha, in 1861. Also noteworthy is Armidale’s use of
ring-ins from England. One hundred years later and Walcha would encounter the
same thing when a young district side with Herbie Laurie opening had to face
Armidale’s Doc Smith, formerly of Cambridge University.
Cricket was probably being played around Walcha before the 1861 meetings
in the Apsley Arms decided to form a team. With the game up and running in
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Armidale in 1850 it’s not a great a leap of faith to think that teams would have
appeared around Walcha. Certainly there was interest. On Saturday, November 9,
1850, this appeared in Bell’s Life in Sydney and Sporting Reviewer in the column
‘‘Answers to Correspondents’’.
A. G., WALCHA. - The guide is forwarded. We have no work on Cricket.
Bell’s Life was only published between 1845 and 1860
and finding this was a needle-in-a-haystack moment.
“Work” in the quote probably refers to a book or a manual.
A.G. writing from Walcha was after cricket information,
possibly rules. Certainly the fledgling town was already
into sport as this extract, again from Bell’s Life, but
published in The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River
General Advertiser, on Wednesday, February 26, 1851
reveals.
WHERE IT ALL
BEGAN: A.G.’s enquiry.
Two lines of type
halfway down column
one of page two of a
four-page publication
in 1850.
Facing page: The notice
in The Armidale Express
in November 1861
calling for a second
meeting at the Apsley
Arms to elect officebearers for the Walcha
Cricket Club.
SPORTS AT WALCHA, NEW ENGLAND.
(From a Correspondent of Bell’s life.)
These recreations, which have been looked forward to with
much anxiety for some time, came off on Saturday, the 1st
instant, at the head of Walcha Plain, and gave universal
satisfaction. The day was a beautiful one, and the ground
for the sports judiciously selected, being fine springy turf, at
the head of a valley. The utmost decorum and good humour
prevailed the whole day.
First prize of £2-for the best running hop, step, and jump gained by Barton, Walcha.
Second ditto of £2 – for the best running high leap – gained
by Mr. F. Elliot, Emu Creek.
Third ditto of £2 – for the best running leap – gained by Taife, Europambela.
Fourth ditto of £2 – for the best standing leap – gained by John Walsh, Walcha.
Fifth ditto of £1 10s. – for the best putter of the 28 lbs. weight – gained by Robert
Scott, Walcha.
Sixth ditto of £1 10s. – for the best thrower of the 28 lbs. weight – gained by Mr.
Jamieson, Walcha.
Seventh ditto of £1 10s. – for the best thrower of the 15 lbs. hammer, with one hand,
no turn round – gained by John Walsh, Walcha.
Eighth ditto of £1 10s – for the best thrower of the heavy hammer, 28 lbs. weight,
both hands, was not contested, the handle being broken at the first throw.
Ninth ditto of – for the best runner 100 yards heats – gained by Taife, Europambela.
Six entered for this match, which was keenly contested between Taife and Mr. Snow
but the latter was running under the disadvantage of
a sprained ankle.
Tenth ditto of £2 – a foot hurdle race, half a mile, 4 leaps, 3 feet high, was passed over,
the day getting far advanced.
Eleventh ditto of £2 – sack race, 100 yards gained by Barton, Walcha.
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With the Armidale connection, old A.G.’s interest and sports days like the
one described, it’s a fair bet cricket matches were being staged. In any case
an edition of The Armidale Express notes that a meeting was planned for the
Apsley Arms Inn on November 16, 1861 with the intention of forming a cricket
team. It was headlined “Walcha Cricket Club”.
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Twelfth ditto of £2 – a race catching a pig gained by Barton.
Thirteenth ditto of £3 – a match at quoits gained by Gullidge, of Sydney, who seems
a crack player.
Fourteenth ditto of £3 – a swimming match, 100 yards – gained by Gullidge, of
Sydney. This match was exceedingly well contested by Mr. Grant, of Emu Creek. Had
the winner not adopted the aboriginal mode of swimming for the last 20 yards, viz.,
rolling, and throwing the hands forward out of the water, he would have been hard
pressed by Mr. Grant.
The day’s amusements concluded with a horse race over a capital mile course; open
hack race for all horses that had never run for an advertised prize; weight for age; mile
heats; prize, £8. Six horses entered - gained easily by Robt. Scott of Walcha’s horse
“Roderick.”
During the course of the day the ladies and gentlemen retired to a tastefully fitted up
tent, where a sumptuous and elegant dejeuner a la fourchette was laid out. Abundance
of all sorts, roast beef, &c, &c., was gratuitously provided by the spirited proprietors
at Walcha, for the people contesting the games. The sports terminated at sunset with
three hearty cheers, which made the hills and the welkin ring.
New England, Feb. 6,1851.
Where was the Walcha Plain? With the Armidale connection, old A.G.’s interest
and sports days like the one described, it’s a fair bet cricket matches were being
staged. In any case an edition of The Armidale Express notes that a meeting was
planned for the Apsley Arms Inn on November 16, 1861 with the intention of
forming a cricket team. It was headlined “Walcha Cricket Club”:
The Second Meeting will be held at the “Apsley Inn,” Walcha, on Saturday Evening,
Nov. 16, at Seven o’clock, for the purpose of admitting members, electing officers,
receiving and considering the Bye Laws drawn up by the committee appointed on
Nov. 2nd
By order of the committee,
C. SMYTHE,
Sec. pro tem.
By 1861 the town probably considered itself big enough to support a team.
With Smythey ensconced as secretary, one of the earliest games was between
town and country, after which all players retired to the inn for lubrication. A
“country” team supports the theory that the big agricultural runs in the district,
Salisbury, Ohio, Emu Creek, Orandumbie, Europambela and Bergen-Op-Zoom
already had teams. Several of the district’s pioneers were enthusiasts, notably the
Marsh family of Salisbury Court and the Taylors of Terrible Vale. The teams from
these two stations were the first to use the matting wicket, which, as one early
record says “was the means of materially improving the game, as good cricket
was impossible on the old, chipped, bumpy wicket, which did duty before the
introduction of the mat”. The town versus country match in Walcha was played
at the back of the Apsley Inn. The Showground later became the venue for home
matches when the “town” team played subsequent games against Salisbury Plains,
Armidale and Uralla. There’s some chance that the decision of England to send a
team to “the colonies” in 1861-62 caused a flurry of activity among those keen on
14
promoting what was then still a relatively new game. This was the first-ever tour of
“Australia” by any overseas team and the second tour abroad by an English team,
following the one to North America in 1859. January 1, 2012 marked the 150th
anniversary of the Great International Challenge between a Surrey professional
XI and a Victorian XVIII, the first match between Australian and English cricket
teams. No wonder there was excitement in the colonies, and great to see Walcha
in on it from the start. The administrators of the game in the town have been
innovative for 150 years. Walcha cricket has had some fascinating links with the
touring English sides, both professional and otherwise.
Neither cricket nor Walcha was that old, but they were up and running. The
town’s name perhaps came from an Aboriginal word Wolka. But the spelling and
possibly the origins came from the association of the two early pastoral properties
– the Walcha run and the Bergen-Op-Zoom run – with places in the Netherlands
where the town of Bergen-Op-Zoom stands on the Walcheren River. These places
were well known to the early settlers because of a major campaign of 1809 called
the Walcheren Expedition, fought during the British wars with Napoleon.
The area around Walcha was occupied by the Ngayaywana and Danggadi
Aborigines before white settlement. The Danggadi had lived in the region for at
least 6000 years and in the colder months retreated in the gorge country to the east,
where fish and animals were plentiful. The Tablelands had places for ceremonies
and trade of goods, and there are traces of bora grounds near Walcha. In 1818
explorer John Oxley camped beside and named the Apsley River, very near the
present site of the town, on his way to the coast. He recorded the event in his diary
that day: “We halted in a fine and spacious valley . . . watered by a fine brook, and
at a distance of a mile we saw several fires at which appeared many natives.” He
also noted the Apsley Falls, the spectacular waterfall where the river begins its
descent to the coast.
Historically, Walcha was the first town to be settled on the Northern Tablelands,
European settlers following Hamilton Collins Sempill who took up the “Wolka”
run in 1832. Sempill established slab huts where Langford now stands. Squatters
moved from the Hunter Valley and from Port Macquarie seeking pastures for
their sheep. Other early runs around the town were Ohio (1836), Orandumbie
(1837) and Europambela (1830s). The trip over the range for the transportation
of wool from New England to the coast was tough. The route to Port Macquarie
and Newcastle was either through Walcha, in the south, or the much longer trip
through Dorrigo in the north. The link to Port Macquarie came at the inception of
Walcha, as John Oxley had found evidence that convicts from Port Macquarie had
penetrated the region before it was surveyed in 1818. A road to Port Macquarie
(the template of today’s Oxley Highway) was constructed in 1842. The Apsley
Arms Inn was established in the first 20 years, certainly pre-1850 and a postal
service was in operation by 1851. The village of Walcha was gazetted in 1852. At
that time there was a blacksmith’s, a store and a flour mill. A Catholic chapel was
erected in 1854, a police station and the first Presbyterian church in 1857, and the
Walcha National School in 1859. In 1861 the population was recorded at 355 and
15
the Anglican church (still standing) was built in 1862. Other hotels, The Royal,
The New England, The Harp of The Erin, The Walcha and The Commercial were
also established. The population dropped off in the 1860s but the town soon began
to grow for two reasons. Cedar-getters were active in the area’s forests by about
1870 and gold mining began in 1873 at Tia, Glen Morrison and Nowendoc.
In 1878 Walcha was gazetted as a town and a courthouse was built. A rail link
opened to the west, at Walcha Road, in 1882. The town became a municipality in
1889. Importantly, newspapers were established, the Uralla and Walcha Times in
1876 and the Walcha Witness by Frank Townsend in 1889. Unfortunately many of
the files were destroyed in fires at the offices of the Walcha News in 1930 and 1932.
Fortunately some of the reports were carried in other papers.
It’s just possible that cricket was played in Walcha before it was played in
Armidale. The “cricket influence” could just as easily have come from the south,
the Hunter, where the game was being played in the 1840s, rather than from nearnorthern neighbour, Armidale. In any case A.G., used the postal service in 1850
to find out something about the game, and we know the “postal village” of Walcha
with its population of 355 in 1861 officially formed a team. The Apsley Arms was
on the site of the present library, on the corner of Derby and Walsh streets. What
was said there on that November 2 night in 1861?
“ . . . well, gentleman, thanks for coming along. I won’t take too much of your
time although I’m sure you won’t mind partaking of the libations. I think it’s time
we formed a cricket team . . .’’
Despite its isolation and fairly slow and patchy development, the town was on
a recognised route to the coast. It was highly dependent on the booms and slumps
in agriculture in the second half of the nineteenth century. The population peaked
at 365 in 1867 and declined to 246 in 1871.
Although data for this period on the local economy is limited, it seems that
there was a fall in itinerant/casual workers in the region by 1871. Other changes in
agricultural production saw the number of cattle in the region between 1863-1868,
fall by 66 per cent, the number of pigs and horses also declined between 18651870, while the number of sheep increased slowly in the first part of the decade.
But cricket was flourishing. That reference to the fall in casual workers is
important, because about the only thing that has ever threatened the continuation
of Walcha cricket is demographics, more particularly blokes working and families
established in the district. And it almost happened in the early 1970s, 100 years
after the first slump in casual workers, aided and abetted by a drought.
Four years after the Walcha town team was formed, they played Armidale.
The Armidale Express of January 14, 1865 has a full scoreboard for:
“CRICKET MATCH AT SALISBURY” in which “Mr Marsh’s 11 from the
Armidale Albert Cricket Club met 11 of Mr Marsh’s players at Salisbury Court
28th ult. in a friendly.” Following on from this is the headline:
“CRICKET MATCH AT WALCHA” and a short report:
A match was played between the Armidale Albert and Apsley Clubs at Walcha on the
30th ult., the following being the result:16
Apsley
First Innings 18
Second Innings 15
Total
33
Albert
First Innings 50
The Albert players winning in one innings and 17 runs.
The interesting thing here is the use of the term “Apsley Club”. The cricket
club was probably named after the Apsley Arms Inn, which was a fast-establishing
tradition in Australia, just as the country teams were named after the properties
that provided the players. The earliest-known cricket club in Australia, The
Australian Club, was named after The Australian Hotel, in Sydney. Conversely,
it also explains Sydney pub names such as The Cricketer’s Arms and the Bat and
Ball. Presumably these hotels sponsored cricket clubs, or at least were where the
teams wined and dined after matches and where they held their meetings. In terms
of Walcha cricket, all other references in the 19th century are to Walcha. There
was an Apsley team playing before World War II, so the club has a long history.
Perhaps the games featuring “Walcha” from the 1860s on were the our first interdistrict representative matches with the Walcha side consisting of players from the
Apsley Club and the other country teams. Overarm bowling was legalised for the
English summer of 1864 (June 10 to be precise), but did not lead to “overnight”
changes in actions around the world. In England it wasn’t until well into the 1880s
that the style became prevalent, but it took off in Australia and the 1878 Australian
team was the first to employ a specialist overarm attack. But back to Walcha. This
report was published in The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday, July 3, 1866.
RANDOM NOTES
By A WANDERING REPORTER
XX
ABOUT a mile beyond Bergen-Op-Zoom I noticed several little oblong plots of
ground, fenced in by low white palings. I knew at once that they were graves, and I
halted my horse for a few minutes whilst I looked upon them. Was there any history
attached to them? Why were they there, lonely in the bush, so far removed from the
station? I shall never know, for, notwithstanding all the inquiry I made on reaching
Walcha, I could learn nothing with regard to them, save only that they were graves.
I have more than once come across a solitary grave in the far bush, marking the spot
where a life has been lost by a deed of violence or by some fatal accident, but never
before do I remember to have seen this companionship of death so far removed from
human habitation. No doubt those occupants of that bleak ridge await the ‘‘great day
of compte’’ as peace fully there as
Beneath the rugged elm, the yew tree’s shade;
but, somehow or other, I felt, as I looked upon the spot, as if the place had been chosen
with something very like a desire to get the dead out of sight and out of mind. No
doubt the wind would sigh as mournfully amongst the long pendent leaves of the
gums as amidst the cypress boughs, whilst probably native dogs howl lugubrious
dirges round the spot, all the more doleful from their not being able to get at that
which lies beneath; but, after all, there is something of comfort to the living in the
17
thought that even after death friendship or affection may come near the spot, and for
a moment hallow it with a thought of love.
I can tell you that I went on my way very soberly after leaving these lonely graves,
but another mile or two brought me to a spot from which, looking round the point
of a ridge I could see the opening of a large clear flat. What is that I see waving? A
flag – yes, a real flag, and there is another and another! What does it mean? I ride a
little further, and there I see dots of red spotted over the ground, with two dots of
white in the centre, just in that peculiar position that causes me at once to come to the
conclusion that a cricket match is going on, and that the dots of red are the outs, who
are fielding, and that the dots of white are two of the ins, at the wicket. Another quarter
of a mile, and then I get a full sight of the whole. There are tents, booths, carriages,
people – more people, in fact, than I thought could be found in the district – to use the
orthodox description suitable for such occasion, all the elite, youth, and beauty of the
district were there assembled, to witness the great match of Salisbury versus Walcha,
that was then being contested. I never took much interest in cricket. I never could
see the utility of cultivating arms and legs at the expense of brains, but today, after a
thirty miles’ ride, I was really and truly perfectly angry at the wanton expenditure
of energy that was going on before my very eyes. I passed the cricket ground with
something like a feeling of pity mingling with my anger, and took my way towards
the inn to which I had been recommended, the thought of the comfortable meal that
awaited me, coming in to make me feel more charitable towards the players.
But, alas! I was not yet done with them. On reaching the inn, the chief inn of the
place, I found that the cricketers had been there before me, and that I had inauspiciously
selected for my abiding place the very house in which the contending parties were
to dine. I had serious thoughts of quitting the detested spot there and then, but I
recollected that the landlord of the other house had stood out in front of his door as I
passed, with something like a supercilious smile on his face, as if he knew I was going
on to disappointment; and it would have been too much like giving him a victory if I
beat a retreat from my present position, and fell back upon him. So, with an amount of
moral courage, for which I hope you will give me full credit, I determined to face it out,
and to brave the whole array of cricketers, Salisbury even cum Walcha. I had my meal,
which from its material looked very much as if it had been filched from the provision
made for the grander affair that was that evening to come and to that extent I gained
a temporary success over my enemies. But it was only a very temporary success, for
hardly had I finished, and having lighted my pipe, and sat down by the fire to enjoy
myself, than the advanced guard of the enemy was upon me. Its members overrun the
parlour in every direction; and, though I entrenched myself strongly in a rockingchair, that I swung furiously backwards and forwards, I suffered very severely in the
attack, my toes having been repeatedly trodden upon. At last the main body arrived,
followed almost immediately by the rear, guardland the baggage, and then I at once
perceived that further resistance was useless. Retreat was out of the question, and I
surrendered not with the horrors of war, and was forthwith made prisoner. How is
it that reporters are known? Do they bear the brand of Cain marked on their brow?
Certainly there is a fearful mystery connected with that night’s work that I shall never
fathom, I don’t believe that I had ever before set eyes upon any one of all that company;
and yet I was known – known as plainly as a reporter is known when he takes his
prescribed seat upon the hustings. Had I come to attend their dinner? I wished their
dinner at – the other inn. Did I want to report their speeches? You can’t conceive
18
how mildly I answered this question, nor yet how savagely I felt in my heart towards
the monster who put it. Their speeches! Was it not enough that I should dree my
weird, and report when I was obliged to do so the speeches of – but I must not let
the excitement of wounded feeling lead me into abuse of those who had no part in the
injury. I explained that I was simply a wayfarer travelling to recruit my health and
energy; but nothing would do. I was a captive in the hands of the Philistines, and I
must join their party.
Let me pass over the rest as quickly as possible. About sixty persons sat down
to a dinner, composed – as all such dinners always are – of all the delicacies of the
season; and between you and me, and I don’t mean it ill-naturedly – but the way
some of the delicacies – custards, etc, – disappeared was something very considerably
more than a caution. There was the usual amount of speech making, of the usual
average of after dinner quality. Salisbury had won the game by something like sixty
runs, and of course Walcha drank Salisbury a health, remarking that if something had
occurred that did not occur, or that if something had not occurred that did occur, the
result would very likely have been different. Salisbury returned thanks, and drank to
Walcha, hoping, as victorious parties always do, that Walcha might beat everybody
but Salisbury. Then, as it appeared to me, everybody drank everybody’s health, the
process being for Mr. Smith to rise and propose the health of Mr. Brown in what may
be called a neat and appropriate speech; after which Mr. Brown would rise, and in
another neat and appropriate speech would propose Mr. Smith’s health. And so it went
round, every toast being followed by that exquisite melody ‘‘He’s a jolly good fellow,’’
the song being drawn out longer and longer, and emphasised more spiritedly as the
evening waxed later. But that I believe is also a matter of course at all public dinners.
Ultimately they broke up, but not to go home – oh no! And I, what had I done that
I should be made a sufferer? I got away quietly, in the hope of getting to bed; but on
appealing to the landlady, I learnt for the first time that every bed in the house was
taken, and had been taken since the morning. ‘‘If,’’ said the landlady, ‘‘you don’t mind
a bed on the sofa’’ – I didn’t mind a bed on the sofa.
I only wished I might get it. With that horde of cricketers swarming over the
whole house, where was the sofa to be had? If I’d only wait a bit, they’d be going away
soon. Go! They go? Not they! They were just at the very point not to go home ‘‘till
morning.’’ Like a restless spirit, I wandered about that house, seeking rest and finding
none, for I don’t know how many hours. I counted those cricketers, and ticked them
off as now one, now another got tired out, and left. At last some two or three only
remained, and these were removed to another room, a bed was hastily made down
lest there should be another inroad upon the parlour, and I was left alone, with strict
injunctions to ‘‘fasten the door and keep ’em out.’’ I did fasten the door and went to
bed, but not to sleep, for one wretched man hovered about the place for nearly an
hour afterwards, making insane attempts to get in; and when he went, and I was just
settling off to sleep, I found myself and the sofa wheeled round into the middle of the
room. A French window at the foot of the sofa had been opened, my sleeping place had
been wheeled round to give room to admit another persecutor, and there was I utterly
helpless. He wanted something from the baggage that he could not find, and actually
had the hardihood to ask me whom he had disturbed, to give him a match to aid his
search. I give him a match! Never! On the contrary, I chuckled to myself with savage
glee at his disappointment. Whether he got what he wanted or not, I could not make
out, for he did nothing but growl; but, at all events he left, and I at once took means to
19
prevent his re-entrance. Then, and only then, did I drop off to sleep.
It seemed to me that I had not slept more than ten minutes, when I was awakened
by a tapping at the door. I was sleeping in the refectory, the general feeding room,
and had to clear out for the earliest breakfast of the earliest starter. I am afraid I did
not begin my day with prayer on that morning, but my sins be on the head of those
cricketers who drove me out and wearied out my otherwise patient endurance. This
is a chapter of misery, over which I have perhaps dwelt too long, but I can tell you
honestly that I was only too glad to get away from that inn, in which I felt convinced
I should never have luck.
Walcha is an exceedingly pretty little township, and lies at an angle about
equidistant from Bendemeer and Armidale. It contains a courthouse, two churches,
two stores, and three public-houses, besides about fifty houses. It is an agricultural
district, and boasts of some of the best land of New England. It is situated on the
Apsley River, one of the main tributaries of the Macleay. Here, as in other parts of the
district, the farmers had a good harvest last season, and have obtained a very good
price for their wheat, the average being about 8s. 6d. Notwithstanding the chance they
have thus had, I was assured that they are so deeply in the books of the storekeepers
that they have not even now retrieved themselves. As to the free selectors, had it not
been for this slice of good luck they would have been, altogether ruined, as they would
have been utterly unable to carry on longer. This information I had from a gentleman
who is a stanch advocate for free selection, and who knew the object for which I made
the inquiry. There are about forty free selectors in this district, but they have been
already taken into account in the numbers I have given under the head of Armidale,
as though there is a land agent here, he is agent only for the sale of land, and has
nothing to do with conditional purchases. Cattle stealing is rather a weakness of some
of the free-selectors and smaller farmers in this district; but though charges of this
kind have been frequent, the difficulty of obtaining evidence has been so great that
the magistrates have been unable even to commit. Only in one case has there been a
conviction, and yet cattle go; and the selectors have beef, and everybody knows how
they get it, though they can’t prove the how legally. I will just give you one instance.
An elderly lady, no matter about names, pitched down in the ranges, on a selection.
She had nothing but a stockyard and a bark gunya, that is a hut a la aborigine, or
two sheets of bark placed upright with the tops resting against each other. Her
connections were known; and her occupation was known, but she couldn’t be caught.
At last the police made a pounce down upon her, and caught her with two quarters
of beef hanging in her gunya, and a whole beast skinned and dressed on the gallows
in the stockyard. The hide of the latter animal was found, but though it had not been
made away with care had been taken to deface the brand the moment it was off the
beast, and thus all trace of ownership was lost. She couldn’t or rather wouldn’t account
for how she got the beast, or say how it had been branded, and she was consequently
summoned for having defaced the brand, or for having a carcass of beef for which she
could not account, I don’t know exactly which. However, she made no defence – never
said a word in fact, and was sentenced to pay a fine of £10. This money she paid with
the greatest nonchalance, pulling out a huge bundle of notes just as if she wanted to
show that she had expected something heavier, and had come prepared. As to getting
a conviction for cattle stealing, that is out of the question. These people who go in for
this crime regularly hang together, and ‘‘won’t come it’’ upon each other; whilst if an
outsider comes upon them, and is in a position to bring them to justice, such influences
20
are brought to bear upon him that he loses all memory of the transaction, or should
he be obdurate, threats – that the parties making them would not be at all backward
in carrying out – usually have the desired effect. ‘‘You know you can prove this case
against – if you like,’’ said a squatter to his stockman. ‘‘I daren’t do it!’’ replied the
man, ‘‘it would be as much as my life’s worth!’’ And as the man, if he had had the moral
courage to give the required evidence, would certainly for his own safety have had to
leave the district, the squatter thought it better to pass the matter over than lose the
services of a good man.’’
That’s a long extract, but it’s a grand description of life on the Tablelands
around Walcha and makes the point of the significance of cricket to the district
already in the 1860s. The scenes he describes at the cricket match are not unlike
those of the MCG for the Great International Challenge on January 1, 1862 or
at the Domain in Sydney on “Australia Day” 1862 for the Surrey professionals’
match against a NSW XXII. Who would believe Walcha cricketers would get on
the grog after a match and ruin someone’s night? Some of the attributes that would
come to define Walcha cricket are already there. The community was involved in a
festival atmosphere and the after-match drinks were an important part of the game.
Locating the venue is interesting, the Old Common, or perhaps the Showground?
And how unusual for the players to be having a few beers at lunchtime?
The Wanderer didn’t have much time for Walcha cricketers. He left town the next
morning and a very extensive article of his travels was published in The Sydney
Morning Herald on or about Tuesday, July 10, 1866. These are the headlines and
the first few paragraphs.
RANDOM NOTES.
BY A WANDERING REPORTER.
XXI.
LEAVING Walcha by a road leading south, I made Branga Park my first stage.
It was only a distance of sixteen miles, but I had been put completely out of sorts
by the Walcha cricketers, and required some little ease to recover my usual mental
equilibrium. I was favoured with company on the road, amongst others, with that of
the scab inspector of the district, who was then making one of his usual rounds. We
passed the locations of several free selectors, men of good reputation, honest, steady,
and industrious.
The stockyards showed signs of plenty, in fact as I have before remarked, the late
season in New England was a most favourable one, and there was a kind of rough
comfort apparent in the poultry and stock that fed about the homesteads. The men,
however, as I was informed, are very poor, and up to the present have been barely able
to make the two ends meet. Had it not been for the abundance of the last harvest they
would have been, to use my informant’s characteristic words, ‘‘sewed up’’.
Branga Park Station is on the western fall of water, its creek being a tributary of
the Macdonald, and as we had crossed no range of importance since leaving Walcha,
you can imagine how difficult it must be to a person not knowing the country well
to trace the fall eastward or westward. On these elevated tablelands there is really no
marked rise to divide the one water from the other, and I have been at a spot where
a small spring started from a bit of boggy ground and ran off to swell the waters of
21
some eastern river, and some half dozen paces beyond, with no rise whatever to divide
the two, a second spring has started out from the same piece of bog, and went off to
increase the volume of the western waters. It is not the tableland that is mountainous,
or even hilly, but it is on the descent down from the top to the next plateau or level
that the heaviest mountain ranges are met with. The streams fed by springs, which
give forth the moisture collected by the spongy soil, are small and barely amount to
a volume sufficient to be dignified by the name of a creek. They are mere rivulets, but
they are very numerous, and it is the agglomeration of these that make up the vast
body of water that pours down yearly, east and west, into the large streams that water
our interior, or run down direct to the coast. These ranges that border the edge of
the tableland are always full of wild cattle and wild horses, and the numbers of both
have so much increased of late years as not only to make them a nuisance, for this they
have been for many years, but also to make many runs next to valueless. On many
runs the men never go out without taking a rifle with them, to drop anything in the
shape of wild cattle or horse flesh they may encounter, and a bull is never spared. As
to breaking in the horses, for occasional lots of four or five are sometimes run in, it
is just time thrown away, for they invariably prove out and out ‘‘scrubbers’’, and are
never to be depended on.
This station appeared to have suffered very severely from the late drought,
feed being very short, though the ground was by no means so bare as that I had
seen further west. As I before observed, the soil is light and spongy, and sucks in a
large amount of moisture from the atmosphere, even when no rain falls; and I have
frequently observed, with astonishment, here and elsewhere in this district, that there
was a short growth of grass in spite of the arid season, and that the sheep were in good
condition, although to look at the ground one would have fancied that there was next
to nothing for them to feed on.
On the following morning, myself and the inspector aforesaid made tracks for
Branga Plains, a station of Mr Fletcher’s, intending to lunch there, and then to strike
off and make the Company’s or Port Stephen’s line. The sun shone out brightly, but the
wind came up, moaning hollowly from the westward, now blowing strong gusts, that
roared through the old gums, and shook the tree tops so forcibly as almost to wrench
them off, and then dying away into a mournful groan amongst the leaves. The clouds
were flying swiftly over head, as though they were madly in chase of some prey far off
below the horizon. It was, perhaps, one of the wildest mornings I had seen, but as to
rain, we never dreamt of such, a thing; and when my kind entertainers hinted at the
possibility of such a thing as a ducking, I laughed, and wished I might get it. Oh, how
devoutly did they all say amen to my wish. It did not stick in any of their throats, I can
tell you. But my wish was not an honest one, and if I had but known how soon it was
to be complied with, it would never have been uttered.
And so it goes on. The Wanderer may not have enjoyed his encounter with
cricketers in Walcha, but he certainly had a turn of phrase and his descriptions
of the Tablelands are a joy to read. In any case he was probably long forgotten
by Walcha’s flannelled fools. They were never far from the action, as this report
two years later in The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, on
Tuesday, June 2, 1868 reveals.
NEW ENGLAND
22
(From the Armidale Papers, May 30.)
WALCHA -Yesterday being the anniversary of the Queen’s birthday, guns were going
off and flags flying in every direction round the town, from sunrise until about nine
o’clock, when a number of townspeople prepared themselves for a trip to the station of
C.D Fenwicke, Esq, at Europambela, to witness a scratch match at cricket, which came
off with great eclat Mr. Fenwicke, with his usual liberality, provided a sumptuous
luncheon for all present. During the day a cannon was brought into play, and was
let off forty-nine times, which agreed with her Majesty’s age. At the conclusion, Mr.
Fenwicke proposed the health of the Queen, which was most heartily responded to by
all present; and a similar compliment was returned to Mr. Fenwicke, with additions,
&o. A very agreeable day was spent at Europambela, and will long be remembered
by those who were present on the occasion. After breaking up, most of the party
proceeded to Walcha to witness the sports there, and 1 certainly must confess that
we were taken by surprise, for the whole town was a perfect blaze, and on the hills
surrounding the town were rows of bonfires. Such a scene was never seen before since
Walcha was first established. Fire works, guns, and pistols, were all brought into
requisition, and one and all seemed to enjoy themselves. The echoes of “God Save the
Queen!” and of the cheers still ring in my ears. Some blankets were issued to the blacks
during the day. – We have sharp frosty mornings. Last Saturday was very severe, ice
1½-inch thick being in several places.– Walcha, 26th May. – Express.
Ten years after the town formed a team and five years after the Wandering
Reporter’s encounters with the locals this report was published in the Maitland
Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, (about) Tuesday, May 30, 1871.
NEW ENGLAND
(Abridged from the Armidale Papers, May 27)
On Tuesday evening, May 23, the Sons of Temperance held a public meeting in the
hall of the Armidale School of Arts, to commemorate the opening of a Grand Division
of the order.
Queen’s Birthday was duly celebrated in Armidale. Many picnic excursions were
made up, but the principal attraction was the horse racing for whips, bridles, and
saddles, on the race course. Just at the termination of the sports a little boy, named
James Jenkins, aged 12 years, who was competing in the last race, was thrown, owing
to a yelping cur which ran between the horse’s legs. The poor little fellow sustained
a severe injury, which has since occasioned his death. – A cricket match also took
place on Wednesday between the Walcha and Armidale clubs, in which the latter were
victorious in one innings, with 22 runs to spare.
– Fireworks and bonfires, and a ball at the School of Arts in the evening, finished
the day.
I doubt the Walcha team travelled to Armidale a day early so they could attend
the Sons of Temperance meeting on the eve of the game, although records suggest
they often travelled at night. The next year The Armidale Express of February
3, 1872, under the heading “CRICKET MATCH: ARMIDALE VERSUS
URALLA” actually reports of a match between Armidale and Walcha on the
previous Saturday. This confusion of teams and scores, while not widespread, did
present some confusion during research. It was more prevalent during the 1950s
23
and 1960s in the Walcha News. In this game from 1872 the Express “headline
writer” must have only read the first line or two. Apparently Armidale had played
Uralla the day before, and the Express used this as an excuse.
On Saturday the match came off, on the same ground near the race course on which
that of Armidale v. Uralla and the Rocky was played on the previous day. The weather
was very warm at first, but soon after there were light thundershowers, which though
cooling the air, soaked the players and made the ground rather slippery for fielding. It
is said that the Armidale 11 would have had a good chance but for the match on Friday,
which made some of them very stiff and tired, and no doubt the heat made them less fit
for a match so soon after. It was noticeable that the Armidale team was very unequal,
some of the players both batting and fielding in a very superior style to others.
By a slight error in summing up, the game ended when the Walcha 11 should have
got two more runs, but of course the victory rests with them, as they stopped playing
with six wickets to fall.
Mrs Brady’s booth was continued on the ground, and afforded slight shelter to a
number of spectators from the rain.
It is understood that there will be, on some convenient holiday, a return match, to
take place at Walcha.
The following is the score from on Saturday:-” (See facing page.)
One scoreboard from 150 years ago can reveal so much and raise so many
By a slight error in summing up, the
game ended when the Walcha 11 should
have got two more runs, but of course the
victory rests with them, as they stopped
playing with six wickets to fall.
Mrs Brady’s booth was continued on
the ground, and afforded slight shelter to
a number of spectators from the rain.
It is understood that there will be, on
some convenient holiday, a return match,
to take place at Walcha.
HEADLINE EVENT: The Armidale Express of February 3,
1872, under the heading “CRICKET MATCH: ARMIDALE
VERSUS URALLA”, left, actually reports of a match between
Armidale and Walcha on the previous Saturday.
Right: A scoreboard from 1877.
24
ARMIDALE
First Innings
M’Shane b Sinclair 6
M’Kay b Armstrong 2
Ashton c Sinclair b Armstrong 0
W. Drew b Sinclair 14
J.D. Ashton b Armstrong 2
J. Parker b Armstrong 2
W. Gordon run out b Sinclair 2
J. Bracken b Sinclair 1
F. Elliott b Armstrong 0
C. Dean b Sinclair 0
J. Curry not out 0
Byes 4, leg bye 1; 5
Total first innings 34
WALCHA
First Innings
E. Norton lbw J.D. Ashton 4
W. Taylor c M’Kay b Curry 0
E. Boulton c Gordon b Dean 11
Tourle c and b Curry 16
G.A. Armstrong b Dean 5
J. Nivison lbw Dean 2
J. Sinclair lbw Dean 7
C. Marsh c W Gordon b J.D. Ashton 19
W. Fletcher not out 3
M. St Clair b J.D. Ashton 0
Thomson c W. Dean b Elliott 0
Byes 7, leg byes 2, wides 7; 16
Total first innings 83
Second Innings
Ashton b Fletcher 17
J.D. Ashton c Sinclair b Armstrong 12
J. Curry run out b Tourle 7
J. Parker c and b Armstrong 2
W. Dean not out 26
R. M’Kay b Fletcher 7
W. Gordon b Fletcher 0
J. Bracken b Sinclair 1
C. Dean b Sinclair 2
E. Elliott c Tourle b Sinclair 4
H. M’Shane not out 0
Byes 6, wides 2; 8
Total second innings 86
Add first innings 34
Grand total 120
Second Innings
W. Fletcher b (illegible) 1
Tourle lbw Elliott 9
C. Marsh b Curry 12
J. Nivison c W. Gordon b Curry 6
J.C. Sinclair c Parker b Dean 0
W. Taylor not out 2
G.A. Armstrong not out 2
Byes 3, wide 1; 4
Add second innings 83
Grand total 119
questions. First, the big issue, the Express saying the victory rests with Walcha
because of an error in the scoring and the fact Walcha had plenty of wickets in
hand. Where did this magnanimous approach go over the years? Ninety years
later and the great Walcha inter-district sides of the late 1950s and early 1960s
were denied the enviable record of three undefeated seasons and another shot
at a War Veterans’ Cup because of Armidale skulduggery. In 1960-61 Walcha
defeated Armidale at The Park in the Northern Tablelands final and the visitors
acknowledged that Walcha were champs and that they’d look after the paperwork,
only to then ensure the title went to Armidale “because Walcha failed to hand in
the scorebooks”. They pulled the same trick on one of the great Walcha junior
sides in the early 1970s. That aside, the “error in summing up” in 1872 brings to
mind Colts declaring behind Walcha Road in the 1960s to lose on first innings
after scorer Chris Tinning had called out to skipper Jim Laurie to bring the boys
25
in, only for a Roadite to double-check the books and reveal Colts were actually
two runs shy of the Road’s lowly first-innings total. And speaking of Colts, that
W. Fletcher in the 1872 scoreboard would have to be either “Warwick” or “Will”
wouldn’t it?
In the Armidale first innings of that match Sinclair and Armstrong it seems
are involved in every aspect of every dismissal. There are discrepancies with the
Armidale batting line-ups. Not happy with M’Shane’s six in the first dig he was
relegated to no.11 in the second, but with the initial H this time, maybe a ring-in.
J. Curry is promoted from 11 to first drop and F. Elliott becomes E. Elliott. In
the Walcha innings “Warwick/Will” moves around the order, as he’s been doing
for 100 years. Importantly, Sinclair and Armstrong set in motion a characteristic
of Walcha cricket, the opening bowler genuine all-rounder. This would extend
through Johnston in the 1870s, Ireland and Harding at the start of the 20th century
and Leedham between the wars to Max Holstein, Rob Blomfield and World War
II, and finally to Nathan Goodwin in this century.
Maybe C. Marsh and W. Taylor representing Walcha in the 1872 match were
from Salisbury and Terrible Vale respectively and in to bolster the challenge against
Armidale. Certainly the Walcha team reflects the landholders of the time. Fletcher
and Nivison might be the oldest continuous names associated with Walcha cricket
and we shouldn’t forget the name Armstrong, Steve Armstrong was opening the
bowling wholeheartedly for the Walcha district in the 1980s.
Five years later The Armidale Express of January 5, 1877 (page 4) reports.
CRICKET MATCH, ARMIDALE v. WALCHA.
THIS match between the Armidale and Walcha Clubs was played at Walcha on New
Year’s Day.
The Armidale team reached Walcha early on the morning of the match, and play
commenced shortly after 10 o’clock.
Umpire: For Armidale, Mr J.W. Allworth. For Walcha, Mr J.E. Sinclair.
Captains: Armidale team, Mr R. Mackay. Walcha team, Mr J.E. Sinclair.
The Walcha team went to the wickets first, to the bowling of Messrs R.B. Parry and
W.B. Dawson and were all disposed of for 40 runs.
The Armidale team then went in and succeeded in running up the score to 62 runs
– the bowlers for Walcha being Messrs J. Johnstone, A. Widders and J.E. Sinclair.
At the termination of the innings the players adjourned for lunch at Bath’s Hotel. It
was provided by the Walcha team and was very good indeed.
After lunch the Walcha team again went to the wickets and were all put out for the
comparatively small score of 32 runs.
The Armidale team went in for their second innings having to score 11 runs only
to win the match, which they succeeded in getting with the loss, however, of three
wickets; Messrs A. West and C.M’L Marsh being at the wickets at the termination
of the match.
The bowling of Messrs Parry and Dawson for Armidale and Johnston, Sinclair
and Widders for Walcha was extremely good, and the utmost good feeling existed
throughout the match.
The scores were as under:26
WALCHA
First Innings
J. Johnston b Dawson 6
A. Widders b Parry 0
J. Hamilton lbw Dawson 0
B. Furnifull b Dawson 0
J.E. Sinclair c M’Donald b Dawson 12
W.H. Crowe b Parry 6
P. Hamilton b Parry 0
W.E. Bennett b Parry 1
S. Farrell c M’Donald b Dawson 2
Watts b Dawson 7
Hines not out 0
Bye 1, leg byes 4, no ball 1; 6
Total 40
ARMIDALE
First Innings
A. West c Sinclair b Johnston 10
C. M’L. Marsh b Johnston 6
R.A. Warden b Widders 4
W. Glass lbw Widders 4
W.B. Dawson b Johnston 8
R. Mackay b Johnston 10
J. M’Donald c Farrell b Sinclair 1
A.G. Robins b Johnston 5
R.B. Parry b Johnston 4
Gray c and b Sinclair 1
J.T. Brown not out 0
Byes 8; leg bye 1; 9
Total 62
Second Innings
J. Johnston b Dawson 1
J. Hamilton b Parry 0
S. Farrell c Dawson b Parry 0
A. Widders b Parry 11
J.E. Sinclair b Parry 10
Furnifull b Dawson 3
Crowe b Dawson 0
Hamilton c Warden b Dawson 0
Watts b Dawson 0
Bennett b Parry 4
Hines not out 0
Bye 1, leg bye 1, wide 1; 3
Total 32
Grand total 72
Second Innings
Brown c and b Sinclair 0
Glass hit wicket b Johnston 0
Warden b Sinclair 4
West not out 4
Marsh not out 1
Byes 3
Total 12
Grand total 74
Armidale thus winning by two runs
and seven wickets.
Presumably Johnstone in the match report is actually Johnston in the
scoreboard. On at least one occasion the Armidale players were soaked during
their 10-hour horse and buggy trip for a game at Walcha. It was in the late-1870s
and the Armidale players arrived wet and cold at 3am after being exposed to the
elements. The Armidale Express had the hide to blame their outright defeat on this.
As was practice at the time the visitors had choice of batting first. Armidale made
78, Marsh top-scored with 36 and Walcha captain and bowler J. Johnson took
seven wickets. Armidale only managed 26 in their second innings with Johnson
this time taking eight wickets. And the Express reported six of the batsman went
back in their second innings with nothing to their credit but “the obnoxious
egg”. Walcha made 126; H. Crowe 26, Joshua Hamilton 13, W. “Warwick/Will”
Fletcher 21, S. Farrell 12, J. Burley 2, P. Hamilton 4, J. Johnson 10, B. Furnifull 5,
C. Perry 7, J. Watts 4, J. Burnett 5 not out, (sundries 17). Armidale’s R.B. Parry
27
took seven wickets. On the whole, said the Express, it was an enjoyable day and
the Armidale players took the defeat in a calm and cricket-like spirit, consoling
one another with an assurance of a victory in the return match. But the story
of Walcha’s geographical advantage would be repeated down years, the tough
trip and the home-ground advantage, forgetting of course that Walcha players
do it in reverse. And then have to get home from the Bowlin’ Club. Whatever
the advantages, Walcha certainly took to cricket and secretary James Watt said
in his 1878 report that the team was running hot, reporting that Walcha had a
team of cricketers that were the terror of the northern districts and would never
be disgraced. I assume the J. Watts in the scoreboards of the games above is the
same James Watt the secretary. Wattsy must have had the boys in the nets in the
off-season after the loss in 1877.
The Walcha Witness of September 28, 1885, noted the office-bearers appointed
for the Walcha cricket club. “Patron, Mr Piddington, MLA; president, M.J. Walsh;
vice-presidents, P. Hamilton, J. Love, and R. Flanders; committee, R. Nash, P.
Bath, H. Nash, D. Fowler, T. Townsend, J. Haydon, A. McDonald and C. Bowden.
Selection committee: R. Nash, A. McDonald and G. Kilpatrick.”
A guinea trophy was offered for the first junior making 50 runs. The
district was growing apace. The Sydney Morning Herald of Saturday May 2,
1891, reported under the heading “WALCHA” that “Mr. M S. Hill, the census
enumerator, has finished his labours here. The population of the whole district,
which in 1881 numbered 309 now numbers 3016.” I’m thinking that’s a rogue zero
and the population was actually 316.
The district of course included the area of Nowendoc to the south, which had
been settled in the 1840s and became one of the greatest nurseries of sporting
talent in the state, but particularly cricket. In their excellent publication Nowendoc:
A Glimpse Into History, Jean Holstein and Suzanne Lyon note that cricket was
of great interest to the early settlers and quote James Laurie’s diary: “December
18,1884. Had a game of cricket this evening. Walcha v Emu Creek.”
They also include William Holstein senior’s account of cricket’s history in the
area: “The first cricket was played on a wicket put down near Herbert Higgins’
home at the ‘Round Swamp’, which was later ploughed up and made into a corn
paddock. A board wicket was put down at ‘Glen Forest’ by the Margery family
who enjoyed the game very much and cricket was played there for some years.
Cricketers travelled by horseback or by buggy to Niangala and Ingleba which took
some days, in later years they travelled by lorry or motor car.”
Never mind teams travelling by buggy. From the southern extremities of the
competition, apparently players would ride from Giro station on horseback to join
the Nowendoc boys for a game. And from the north-eastern extremity, one of the
Wrights rode from Jeogla through the gorge country to team up with Winterbourne.
After a few beers at stumps he’d just give the horse its head and it would take
him home. James Laurie’s quote is intriguing. For how long had Nowendoc been
playing cricket before that diary entry? Not many other early records of cricket
matches remain, but following are some extracts from newspapers. The Sydney
28
Morning Herald, Tuesday, November 10, 1891.
BY TELEGRAPH
(FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS)
IN THE COUNTRY.
ARMIDALE, MONDAY.
Today was observed as a close holiday and there were a good many picnics. A cricket
match, Armidale v. Walcha was played here and won by the visitors on the first
innings, there being no time to finish the game. The weather was fine with a very
slight shower this evening, but it soon cleared off again.
Cricket came to be played on holidays and Sundays because people worked
six-day weeks, sometimes seven, and this explains the overnight travel too. By the
1890s Saturday cricket was being played and certainly in the early 20th century
local games were played on a Saturday. The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River
General Advertiser, Tuesday, April 5, 1892, had this report.
DISTRICT NEWS,
[FROM OUR VARIOUS CORRESPONDENTS.]
TAMWORTH.
CRICKET. - On Saturday last the local team visited Walcha, and were defeated by
nine wickets. Although there are a few fairly competent players here the ‘‘old hands’’
are missed. In days gone by Tamworth could put together a tower of strength almost
equal to your own Albions, but somehow the new blood does not seem to be either
as enthusiastic or successful. The oval here is a fine piece of ground, and has every
convenience necessary for athletic sports either by day or with the aid of the electric
light by night.
Tamworth, April 1, 1892.
Albions were a team formed in Maitland very early on, and were a consistently
a strong outfit. The game was obviously being played to a reasonable standard
in Walcha, or at least we could field a handy district side, if we were beating
Armidale and Tamworth. Bear in mind Armidale was hosting the touring English
teams. But things didn’t always go our way. The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday,
April 18, 1892.
By TELEGRAPH
TENTERFIELD, Saturday.
A cricket match was played yesterday between Walcha and Tenterfield Excelsiors, the
latter winning on the first innings by l8 runs.
NOWRA, Saturday.
Two teams of Sydney cricketers are playing matches in the district, viz., the Warwicks
of Waverley and the Cambridge Club of Redfern. The former were easily defeated by
the Nowra Club yesterday and won the match against the Numba Club today. Redfern
also won against Numba yesterday, but sustained a defeat at Pyroo today.
TAMWORTH, Saturday.
A cricket match was played on the oval today between Tamworth United and the
Maitland Albions. It was won by the latter on the first innings by 87. Maitland made
183, McGlinchey scoring 76. Tamworth made 96, Thorne being top scorer with 40
not out.
TENTERFIELD, Saturday.
29
A cricket match was played today between Tenterfield and Walcha, and was won by
the former by 161 runs. Tenterfield batted first, and, having run up a score of 301 for
seven wickets, declared their innings closed. The principal scores were Bentley (not
out), 66; R Peberdy (not out), 63; Matthews, 55; Eldershaw, 49; Krahe, 28. Walcha were
all disposed of for 140, Smith, with 54, making the top score.
William (“Wally”) McGlinchey from Maitland Albions was a very good
cricketer and went on to play for both NSW and Queensland. He represented
Northern Districts against the Intercolonial side, the forerunner to the Sheffield
Shield team. In December 1901 he made 91 for the 18 of Northern Districts against
Archie McLaren’s touring English team at Maitland. In later years NSW would
often play a warm-up game against Northern Tablelands sides on the way to
Brisbane for the opening shield match.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, October 24, 1892 had the following
report.
TAMWORTH, Saturday.
A cricket match was played between Walcha and Tamworth teams today. It was the
first of the season, and was won by Tamworth, who made 50 runs. The visitors made 36.
Other items of interest. The Sydney Morning Herald, (about) Friday, September
29, 1893.
WALCHA, THURSDAY.
A boundary-rider named Edwards dropped dead at his home on Bergen-Op-Zoom
station, near Walcha, a few days ago. Mrs. Edwards saw him fall, but being partially
paralysed, she was unable to assist him. Death was due to heart disease.
A young man named Scott, son of Mr. George Scott, of Blink Bonnie, was kicked by a
horse at Terrible Vale station on Saturday and died on Monday. He leaves a wife and
three children. Deceased was a popular cricketer and athlete.
The story was also carried in The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General
Advertiser, Tuesday, October 3, 1893.
WALCHA.
Another sad death has to be recorded in this district; James Scott, son of Mr. George
Scott, of Blinkbonnie, being killed by a kick from a horse which he was in the act of
mounting. The deceased, who leaves a wife and young family, was deservedly popular,
and many sincere mourners were amongst the unusually large crowd which attended
the funeral on Wednesday afternoon.
The weather appears to have set in dry, with much benefit to the roads, many of
which a few weeks ago promised to be utterly unfit for the carriage of wool.
Five town lots were offered by auction at the Crown Lands Office on Friday, two
blocks of one acre each finding buyers at £15 and £20 respectively. There being no
competition, the upset prices were accepted.
A meeting of the cricket club was held at Hamilton’s Hotel on Wednesday evening, and
it is hoped that in spite of the loss of several good men since last season, a fairly strong
team may be got together.
Walcha, October 2, 1893.
And in the Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser, (about)
Saturday, October 28, 1893.
WALCHA.
30
A meeting of the Walcha Political Association was held on Thursday last, when
several officers were elected to deal with the work of the Association. It was resolved
to co-operate with Uralla and other portions of the electorate to ensure the return of a
local representative. Freetraders and protectionists are (at present) ready to fight side
by side in the laudable object of, being locally championed, and it appears probable
that it will need even more than the usual amount of eloquence and plausibility of our
present representatives to overthrow the Association. They are apparently waiting
for the effect of the recent storm to pass over before attempting to explain their antiWalcha action. One independent candidate wooed the electors last week, but Alderman
Thompson could only retire from his temporary hustings with a sore feeling against
the egg producers of the district.
The cricket season opened on Wednesday with a match, married v. single,
resulting in a win for the latter. The form exhibited gives fair promise of a good team
for the year.
Sports are to be held on Prince of Wales’ Birthday for the benefit of the Cottage
Hospital. Like other things, this institution is suffering from the bad times, and the
extensive outlay on buildings in prosperous times is now apt to cause reflection as to
whether it would not have been more advisable to spend less at first and keep a little
in hand. Country towns have often been in similar circumstances in this respect, and
‘‘those about to build’’ should not lose sight of the experience paid for by others.
Shearing is now fairly starting, and those who have not already sold their flock in the
form of skins are preparing to get in their one harvest of the year. Continual losses in
stock are, however, bearing fruit, and one sees more indications of cultivation and a
fair attempt to produce a return from the land than has hitherto been the case.
The weather is at present hot and windy; thunder shows threatening daily.
Walcha, October 25, 1893.
Another report of interest was published in the Clarence and Richmond
Examiner in Grafton on Saturday, January 12, 1895.
During the progress the other day of a cricket match between the Walcha and
Tamworth clubs, a bowler sent a ball off the carpet, and the umpire called ‘‘wide’’.
The ball, however, glanced in and struck the wicket. The other umpire gave it as out
and held that the umpire should not call ‘‘wide’’ or ‘‘no ball’’ until the ball had passed
the wicket. The player went out, but retaliated later on by appealing when a batsman
generously picked up the ball from the crease and handed it to him. That was out.
It’s a bit of a shame the report doesn’t reveal which side was responsible for
what, and also where the umpires came from. Interesting too the use of the word
“clubs”. I reckon they’d be town teams made up of the best players. Whether it
was this episode or not, something had an effect on the players at the start of the
next season. The Walcha Witness of September 21, 1895 noted that cricket had
commenced at Uralla, Armidale and Tamworth. The local boys, said the Witness,
are too madly in love, or too hard up for time, or something else, to make a start.
The hint stirred them up and a week later a team called Our Boys was formed.
It wasn’t only locally that cricket was “stirred up”. Four years later in 1899
the NSW team, on their return journey from a game against Queensland, played
a New England XV at Armidale. There’s some chance Walcha players were
considered for the match, which shows off the talents of one James Rainey Munro
31
Mackay from Uralla. Mackay, later to be “christened” Sunny Jim, is one of the
most interesting characters thrown up in Australian cricket history, let alone
Northern Tablelands cricket. The report was in The Sydney Morning Herald on
Saturday, December 2, 1899.
(FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER–
ARMIDALE, Friday
The New South Wales team on their return visit from Brisbane broke the journey at
Armidale today, and 11 with the manager met 15 of New England District in a one
day’s match. Farquhar went straight through to Sydney. The home team went first
to the wickets and had 71 on the board before the first wicket fell, the batsmen being
Mackay of Uralla, and Quinlan, of Armidale. Both men exhibited confident batting,
but after their separation the wickets fell rapidly, and the innings closed for 133. The
New South Wales team passed their opponents’ total with four wickets down, but with
the exception of Trumper and Jansen the cricket, though solid, was inclined to be slow.
Cooper on his second trial bowled well. He is a left-hander, and breaks from the leg.
The match was played on a matting wicket. The visitors were impeded by their spiked
boots. (Scoreboard below)
I’d love to know if Chandler was from the Walcha district. Cooper in these
reports is Charlie Cooper from Uralla, a left-arm spinner (possibly a wrist spinner)
and still alive and still a legend in Uralla when I was growing up in Walcha. A
classic photo of Sunny Jim adorned the old Walcha News office and an article in
the Walcha News in 1957 under the heading “Walcha Turns Out Top Sportsmen” is
ostensibly about Wallaby and Combined Country captain Peter Fenwicke, but also
has this:
“In addition to his football ability, Fenwicke also excels at cricket.
“But he is not the only sportsman from Walcha to reach the top.
“Don Lisle, W. Laycock, J. Ireland and G.C. Stevens have all played Union
for NSW, while J.N. Mackay represented Australia at cricket in the early nineteen
hundreds.” And again, in 1986 as part of the celebration of 125 years of cricket,
the Walcha News said Sunny Jim “put Walcha cricket on the map”. There are
some inaccuracies here. “Sunny Jim” didn’t represent Australia in cricket. That’s
one of the fascinating aspects of his career. It’s also wrong to infer that he was
a Walcha player. Back to 1897 and The Armidale Express of Friday, November
26. The “Uralla & District” report mentions a cricket match between Uralla and
Salisbury Woolshed in which Salisbury were easily beaten. It then goes on to
report Salisbury challenging Uralla to another match and says: “Salisbury on this
occasion had M.H. Marsh and J. Mackay, two of the most prominent members of
Salisbury CC to play with them.” Charlie Marsh was the bigger name at this time.
The article says: “It being the intention to have some of the best cricketers in the
district to practice and play, and from these select the team to meet the Englishman,
some of us down this way think that Charlie Marsh should be amongst the number
first chosen . . .”
Sunny Jim was born at Uralla on September 9, 1880 and played his early
cricket with the Salisbury team. As a 15-year-old in his first season he hit four
centuries and averaged 39. In his next season he was only dismissed once, run
32
NEW ENGLAND (l5)
- First Innings
Mackay b Trumper 31
Quinlan b Trumper 40
G Crossman c Jansen, b Trumper 9
J Ferris b Trumper 14
Pool c Wood b Noble 5
Braund lbw b Noble 1
Chandler, c Jansen b Trumper 4
Keys c Jansen Trumper 3
Bradley b Trumper 9
Keys st Kelly b Noble 6
Scott, c Noble b Trumper 1
Cooper b Noble 0
Crossman c Duff b Trumper 3
Phillips not out 3
Sundries, 7
Total 130
Bowling - Trumper 9 wickets for 27; Noble
5 for 32; Howard 0 for 21; Hopkins 0 for 12;
Pye 0 for l8; Bowden 0 for 16
NEW SOUTH WALES
- First Innings
Duff c Payten b Braund 5
Iredale c Quinlan b Cooper 5
Jansen c Cooper b Braund 28
Trumper c A Crossman b Kelk 42
Noble c and b Cooper 43
Kelly c Post b Cooper 36
Donnan st Payten b Cooper 6
Pye not out 28
Hopkins b Kelk l2
A Wood st Payten b Cooper 0
Sundries 2
Total for 9 wickets 207
Bowling Analysis - Cooper 5 for 73; Braund
2 for 44; Kelk 2 for 30; Chandler 0 for 34;
Quinlan 0 for 18.
out, and when he was 17 he joined the Uralla team scoring five centuries and
averaging 72. He was 6ft 2in in the old measure (188cm) and a naturally gifted
athlete who believed that hitting boundaries was the way to play. He seems to
have been untroubled by the move from the bush matting wickets to Sydney turf
and The Armidale Express of Saturday, April 6, 1901 carries a beautifully written
article about Mackay playing in Sydney grade cricket and then scoreboards of
matches between Armidale School and Uralla; and I think Dumaresq and some
other team (illegible).
The Armidale Express of Wednesday, April 17, 1901 carries reports of a New
Englanders team travelling to Muswellbrook and Maitland for games, and then
reports and scoreboard for the “New England Association Final of The Country
Series” in which Coningdale beat Black Mountain and concluded “Coningdale
will play Uralla on Saturday next . . . The countrymen, with a handicap of 35 per
cent, are very confident of landing the prize.” Other scoreboards in the Express
are for matches between Federals and Armidale, and Dumaresq and Boorolong.
The Armidale Express of April 24, 1901 carries the scoreboard of the Coningdale
versus Uralla match, “The New England Championship”, won by Uralla. “The
final for the New England Cricket Association’s Cup and Badges took place on
the Armidale racecourse last Saturday, when Uralla, after a hard tussle, lowered
the colors of Coningdale.” Then follows a fascinating and lengthy report of the
final revealing Jim Mackay opening for Uralla and top-scoring with 86 including
one stint of six “fourers” from eight balls. The presentation was held at the
Central Hotel after the match: the Wilson Challenge Cup to Uralla; gold badges
to Uralla for the senior premiership; silver badges to Coningdale for the country
premiership; silver badges to Dumaresq for winning the junior series and a gold
33
medal to Jim Mackay for the batting average, 550 runs for four completed innings,
average 140. Were Walcha and surrounding teams included in this and were
Walcha players considered for the New Englanders team? The point is, Armidale
had a competition proper up and running and a young Jim Mackay was playing
in it for Uralla.
Interestingly enough The Armidale Express of May 10, 1902 has the New
England Cricket Association averages. Sunny Jim topped them, scoring 656 (as
far as I can see) runs with a top score of 224 not out for an average of 164. The list
contains 104 names and coming in at 46 is F.W. Nivison. I assume he was playing
in the Walcha district and I wonder how many of those other names were “Walcha”
players? Some of the 46 names on the bowlers’ averages list look familiar too. But
back to that report in The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, December 2, 1899.
The NSW team was entertained at a banquet in the evening at Tattersall’s
Hotel “and there was a large gathering of members of the local cricket association”.
Mr S.J. Kearney, vice-president of the New England Association said it was a
great concession for the NSW Cricket Association to arrange for a team to visit
Armidale. Unfortunately the excessive heat and dust had kept many people from
attending, but nevertheless he was confident that the display would do a great deal
to raise the standard of cricket. He hoped that the visit of the NSW team would
be annual. He regretted that in the past there had not been much support from the
public, “but now they had an association” it would “place the game on a sounder
footing than hitherto”.
As a result of that match and further good form for Uralla, Mackay was chosen
in the Combined Country team to play Paddington (champion metropolitan club)
at the Sydney Cricket Ground. As The Sydney Morning Herald of Saturday,
March 23, 1901, reported: “The combined country team has been chosen on
form exhibited in the various country matches this season, with the exception
of Mackay, who has a most consistent scoring record in New England, and last
season performed well against the New South Wales team when the return journey
from Brisbane was broken at Armidale.” Mackay scored 106 for Country against
Paddington.
In December 1901 Archie McLaren’s touring England side played two matches
in the Tablelands, one against an 18 of Glen Innes. England closed at 7-309 and
the 18 of Glen Innes were beaten outright, dismissed for 141 and 79, Blythe taking
10-61 in the first innings and 7-40 in he second, while Quaife took 7-73 in the
first and Gunn 9-37 in the second. England then played a 22 of New England at
the Racecourse in Armidale. England knocked up 254 in their first innings, Gunn
batting at nine remaining 119 not out, and 7-204 when they batted again. The 22
of New England scored 112. Mackay opened, scoring 14 and batting at number
13, still the middle order for the 22 of New England, was a Blomfield, no initial
given. A number of Blomfields were playing in the Walcha district at the time. The
name has a long association with cricket in Walcha. More than 70 years later in
1975, Rob Blomfield would play for a Northern Tablelands XI against NSW when
the state team were on their way to Queensland. The England team of 1901 were
34
given a bit of a touch-up at the Albion Ground in Maitland on that tour, the 18 of
Northern Districts closing at 15-558, E. Capp 114 not out, R. Lindsay, 104, and our
old friend Wally McGlinchey, 92, providing the bulk.
The new century brought a new newspaper, the Walcha News in 1904 and
with it some great reports, especially of the rivalry between Walcha Road and
Wollun, and the first representative player I could find. Matches were starting to be
arranged on a regular basis between Walcha, Walcha Road, Wollun, St Aubyn’s,
Yarrowitch, Salisbury and Uralla. As ever it was an honour to be selected in
the rep team to play Tamworth or even Moonbi. Following is a series of reports
from the Walcha News in its first summer of cricket in 1904, a snapshot of the
game around Walcha from more than 100 years ago. Different aspects will mean
different things to different readers, but many of the names echo down the years.
The Walcha News and Southern New England Advocate published this report on
Saturday, October 8, 1904:
The local knights of the willow have not yet made a start for the year. I would advise
an early calling together of the members of the clubs as an early start will give our
players a chance of striking form for the coming season.
Trumper marked the opening of the 1904-05 season on Saturday by giving one of
his brilliant displays . . .
The Walcha News of Saturday, October 15, 1904, carries the report of a match
between Walcha Road and Wollun at Walcha Road, won by the locals by 90 runs.
F. Harding top-scored for the Road with 67, displaying the form that resulted in his
call-up for New England. The Sydney Morning Herald of Wednesday, November
2, 1904 reported the New England team for Country Week.
ARMIDALE, Tuesday
The following players have been selected to represent New England in country
week cricket matches in Sydney, on Friday and Saturday: – Leak, Wood (Tamworth),
Kelly (Nemingha), Richardson (Moonbi), Soane, Cooper (Uralla), Chisholm (Guyra),
Harding (Walcha Road), Dix (Armidale), Cotton, Brown (Glen Innes).
Note that it’s New England with Tamworth players. The inclusion of players
from Nemingha and Moonbi in the New England team points to the Peel Valley
Competition in which Woolbrook and Walcha Road teams and Ingleba and Glen
Morrison players would compete.
The Walcha News of Saturday, October 22, 1904 carries a poem, The Proud
Cricketer, by Harold Begbie taken from Fry’s Magazine, which begins thus:
England hath played at many a game, and ever her toy was a ball;
But the meadow game, with beautiful name, is king and lord of them all.
Cricket is king and lord of them all, through the sweet green English shires;
And here’s to the bat, and the ball (How’s that?), and the heart that never tires.
And the following week, October 29, we have the report of the return match
between Walcha Road and Wollun. Notably, Harding is not in the Road line-up.
WOLLUN
Our cricketers played a return match with Walcha Road on the local ground on
Saturday last, and won easily by 129 runs. I saw by Saturday’s “News” that Walcha
Road was sanguine of success. That was soon upset when Amos Smith got going. It
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was thought they would never get our men out, and their burly captain was at his wit’s
end, changing bowlers and running around the boundary to catch Smith, but he was
too wide awake. At last he was bowled . . .
Amos is not that common a name and 100 years later another one was playing
for the team just up the road. Thereafter is the scoreboard showing Walcha Road
dismissed for 33 and Wollun knocking up 162 of which Smith scored 91, noting
that W. Murray took six for 14 and P. M. Wright four for 13. Then:
A team will visit Uralla on Saturday to play a 2nd eleven there. Our boys have
improved wonderfully since last season, and should be a hard nut to crack by the end
of this. They are very eager to have a go at Walcha.
The Walcha News of Saturday, November 5, 1904, in the column “Essence of
Sport” has reports of J. Mackay scoring 105 for Burwood against North Sydney.
This is our old mate from Uralla, the right-handed opening bat Sunny Jim Mackay.
In his book 150 Years of NSW First-class Cricket honorary research librarian for
Cricket NSW, Colin Clowes, devotes some time to Sunny Jim. Under the heading
“The Uralla Crack” Clowes notes the NSW match against Queensland in Sydney
in December 1902 was Sunny Jim’s first-class debut.
“Born on 9 September 1880 in Kentucky . . . and raised at nearby Uralla, he
joined the Uralla team that played in the New England district competition and in
1897-98 scored five centuries and averaged 72. In 1898-99 he scored four centuries
and averaged 78, and in 1899-1900, with four centuries and a double century, he
averaged 89. In March 1900 he played for a Combined Country team against the
Paddington club and made a century (106). Such performances earned him a place
in what had become an annual trial match in which the NSW XI played the Next
XV.” Sunny Jim made only 19 in that match but the Daily Telegraph reported that
he “created a favourable impression, some of his strokes to the off being powerful
and clean”. Mackay then played for the XVIII of Northern Districts, scoring five in
the match at Maitland mentioned earlier in which Wally McGlinchey scored 91. As
we know, Jim scored 14 when the touring Englishmen played the New England 22
at Armidale. In the England versus The 15 of Newcastle and District, the “Uralla
crack” top-scored with 68.
Colin Clowes notes that the Daily Telegraph reported Mackay “possesses one
of the most winning personalities ever seen on a cricket field”. In the New England
District competition of 1901-02 Sunny Jim hit three centuries and two double
centuries and averaged 120. He only scored eight in the first-class debut against
Queensland but went on to join the Burwood club in Sydney in January 1903,
hence the report in the Walcha News. Such was Sunny Jim’s success for Burwood
and NSW that he was likened to Victor Trumper and was considered unlucky to
miss the 1905 Australian tour to England. Mackay scored 203, 90, 194, 105, 102
not out and 136 for NSW in the 1905-06 season and another six centuries for his
club side. But unfortunately in the off-season he became embroiled in a conflict
between the competing bodies in Australian cricket. The Melbourne Cricket Club
had been powerful for some time and organised and sponsored its own tours by
the English teams. It was in the process of doing so again and had signed many
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of Australia’s top players. This put it at odds with the Board of Control, which
claimed the right to organise such tours. The NSW players who signed with the
Melbourne Cricket Club were Victor Trumper, Jim Mackay, Monty Noble, Reggie
Duff, Tibby Cotter, Hanson Carter, Austin Diamond, Bert Hopkins, George
Garnsey, Jack O’Connor and Mick Waddy and they were therefore at odds with
both the Board of Control and the NSW Cricket Association. Trumper was leading
a team that included Cotter and Hopkins on a private tour of Queensland when the
story broke and the other players were called before the NSW Cricket Association
and asked to repudiate their contracts. Sunny Jim refused and was suspended from
first-class and club cricket. The suspension didn’t last for long, but seemingly
disillusioned with the affair he accepted a position with a mining company in
South Africa where he played cricket for Transvaal and dominated again. His
eyesight was severely damaged when he was struck by a motorbike while walking
near Johannesburg in May, 1907.
His brief, but dazzling career, was cut short. He moved back to Australia,
played and coached for the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1907-08. He wrote to a
friend while he was coaching at the Melbourne Cricket Club: “I myself feel quite
confident that I shall get quite well again.” He moved back to Sydney and played
the last match of the season for Burwood, returned to Uralla at the end of the
season taking a job as a book-keeper with a shearing business and then in June,
1908, wrote: “I am making great improvement since I came home, in fact I am
almost quite well again. I daresay by the time the next cricket season comes along
I shall be quite as well as ever I was.” He returned to the Burwood club for the
1908-09 season in an attempt to regain his place in the NSW team, but struggled
to recapture his old form. George Garnsey wrote: “A ball was bowled which, in
his halcyon days, would have been dispatched past mid-on with a power and force
not even to be surpassed by the inimitable Victor Trumper. The ball bowled him!
For a second his body seemed to droop in sorrow – then, up came his head and
with it he sunny smile we all loved. Proudly he walked out as if to say, ‘Well! I may
have lost my skill, but never my courage.’ How they cheered him!” He returned to
Uralla before the season was over.
In just 20 first-class matches from 1902-03 to 1906-07, he had scored 1556
runs at 50.19 with six hundreds and seven 50s. He later moved to Cunnamulla
in Queensland for several years and then returned to the New England where he
continued to play for years. He died in Walcha on June 13, 1953. Unfortunately we
can’t “claim” Sunny Jim as a “Walcha representative cricketer” from the formative
part of his career. He represented Uralla and although Uralla were playing against
Walcha and the other teams of the area such as Wollun and Walcha Road, these
were “friendlies”. The 1904 reports from the Walcha News are still referring to
matches by invitation, with seemingly no formal competition.
Sunny Jim married Catherine Crawford of Yoorooga, Walcha Road, in 1913
and played some cricket for Kentucky and there are Walcha News reports of him
playing district cricket for Walcha and apparently he was still very difficult to
dismiss. The reports also say he used to come into town on weekdays to coach
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schoolboys and on Saturday mornings to coach seniors. He was patron of the
Walcha District Cricket Association from 1946-47 through to 1948-49. Addressing
a Walcha District Cricket Association dinner on one occasion, former Australian
wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield described Mackay as among the best bats Australia
had produced. So highly was he considered that when Bradman set off on his
run-scoring feats, Mackay was the first batsman he was compared with. An article
headed “COUNTRY PLAYER’S RAPID ADVANCE” in The Sydney Morning
Herald of Friday, November 2, 1928, reported.
D. G. Bradman’s feat of scoring a century in each innings of a Sheffield Shield match
has been performed on no fewer than 10 occasions. Of recent years the feat has been
performed fairly consistently, thus indicating the dearth of bowlers and the increased
attention given to the preparation of wickets.
Although the series first commenced in 1892, it was not until the 1905-06
season that a batsman succeeded in scoring a century in each innings. The popular
country player from Uralla, J. M. “Sunny Jim” Mackay was the first to record the
performance. The feat, of course, received due prominence, but far more prominence
was given to the action of M.A. Noble in refraining from scoring, and thus allowing
Mackay an opportunity of securing the runs and the coveted century, before the runs
necessary for a New South Wales victory were secured. Had Noble scored many runs,
Mackay would have missed obtaining his century, and sooner than deprive him of this
honour, Noble sacrificed his own opportunities. Unfortunately for Australian cricket.
Mackay was injured in an accident in South Africa, and his services were lost to the
game. During his meteoric career he was regarded as a near approach to the late
Victor Trumper. He was once described as “having the brilliance of Trumper and
the cautiousness of M.A. Noble”. Mackay’s happy disposition earned him the title of
“Sunny Jim”.
Sunny Jim was living at Boro Creek, Walcha Road, when admitted to Walcha
Hospital where he died aged 72 on June 13, 1953. Catherine was 89 when she died
at Walcha on April 4, 1970. Both are buried in Walcha’s general cemetery. That
the Walcha News reported on his efforts in Sydney grade was not such a big thing
because the paper was running stories on interstate and international cricket. But
in 1904 he would have been well-known to Walcha cricketers because he’d played
for Salisbury and Uralla.
It’s fascinating to think the players of the Walcha district were playing against
him and fraternising with him when he himself was mixing with some of the
superstars of the game. This trend continues, most recently with Kyle Goodwin
playing Josh Hazlewood before the Bendemeer quick’s rise, and in the 1960s with
Denis Wall with Tim Wooster, and Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode with
Tamworth’s John Gleeson before his elevation to Australian representation. Rick
McCosker is well-remembered from Inverell before his march to a Baggy Green.
Also in that 1904 Walcha News “Essence of Sport” column were the details of the
Walcha Road v. Walcha match.
The first match of the season on the local wicket was played on the Show Ground
on Saturday last, between the above clubs, and resulted in a win to Walcha by 6 runs.
Harding, bowling for the losers, did the “hat trick”. For the winners, Fleming scored
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31 and Hawthorn 12, while Dries, 12, for the losers, were the only batsman to get into
double figures.
Harding was the early prototype of the Walcha representative cricketer, an allrounder. Through the years, just about every player who has starred at club level,
but particularly at district level and higher, has been an all-rounder. November 12
and the correspondents from Wollun and Walcha Road are back in action.
WOLLUN
Our knights of the willow were again defeated by Uralla’s second eleven on the local
ground on Saturday last, and in a manner that would make your scribe from Walcha
Road whoop with joy, if she were only there.
And the report goes on to detail the hiding they received. The “Walcha Road”
report bemoaned the fact there was “no cricket today. This is two Saturdays our
boys have missed and they wonder why they get beaten sometimes.” The Wollun
correspondent was back into on November 26.
Our cricketers are going to have a go at Walcha Road on the latter’s home ground
on Saturday. They are more sanguine of success, however, than I am. I heard one of
them say if they did not beat Walcha Road on Saturday he would give up playing “for”
he said, “Walcha Road is the weakest team in the district and if we don’t beat them we
won’t win a game this season.” By the way I think our secretary would be pleased to
get a challenge from Walcha.
The Walcha Road correspondent had this report about the same time.
A cricket team from Walcha visited our town on Saturday last and gave our boys
another doing. The match throughout was very enjoyable as some splendid work was
done on both sides, T. Edwards making the highest score for Walcha, and F. Harding
for Walcha Road. The visitors were received at the School of Arts for luncheon, at
which everyone “rose to the occasion”. Much credit and many thanks are due to the
ladies who so ably conducted affairs.
The match report appeared in another section of the paper and reads:
Walcha defeated Walcha Road on the latter’s wicket on Saturday last.
Walcha Road compiled 185 and the Walcha lads responded with 200.
A match between Walcha and Walcha Road combined against Moonbi will be
played at Moonbi on the 3rd Dec.
The local players asked to take part in the match by the Walcha Road secretary
are Messrs. H. Nash, R. H. Blomfield, T. Edwards, J. Ireland, Fleming and J. Nash.
The whole team promises to be a very strong combination and should certainly
give a good account of themselves.
T. Edwards was in good form on Saturday both with the bat and the ball.
H. Nash and R. H. Blomfield proved two very good opening men, running up the
total of 56 before they were separated.
Harding, Walcha Road, played a rattling good innings, making the good score of 87.
The innings was not faultless altogether, as he gave a chance when 43 to Carey.
The only other chance offered was accepted by Costello, who made a very good
catch in long-field.
Green, of Moonbi, made 15 for the Roadites, being bowled with an exceptionally
good ball sent down by Edwards.
The Walcha Road correspondent doesn’t miss the chance and filed this report
that appeared on December 3, 1904.
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A match was played on our local ground on Saturday last against Wollun and
resulted in an easy win for our boys. Wollun, according to their scribe in the last issue
of the “News” was very sanguine of success, but they soon lost that feeling when they
commenced the leather hunting. It’s a pity the scribe was not down to see the match,
she’d think to herself that Walcha Road was the weakest team after all in the district.
Following the scoreboards, which show an easy outright win to Walcha Road,
the correspondent can’t resist one last shot. “By the above you will see some of
our boys came out of their shells on Saturday.” In the same edition the Wollun
correspondent was as cheeky as she was contrite. “Our cricketers got beaten again
at Walcha Road on Saturday. (I suppose it is unnecessary for me to give you the
scores: Walcha Road will be pleased to do that.) When we a game again I’ll let you
know – if we ever happen to win one.” And further in the same edition.
The match Walcha and Walcha Road combined v. Moonbi has been abandoned
owing to Moonbi being unable to secure a representative team.
The six Walcha players selected to go to Moonbi all intended making the trip and
are somewhat disappointed at the fixture falling through.
On Saturday last Trumper made his second “blob” of the season.
M.A. Noble made 155 on Saturday playing against University.
It is expected that a match will be played on Saturday week at Walcha between the
local club and Walcha Road.
The Roadites are evidently anxious to defeat Walcha.
I would like to see St Aubyn’s meet on the Walcha wicket, a good game would
certainly be witnessed.
The hon. Sec. of the local club is at present negotiating with Tamworth re a match
at Tamworth during the holidays.
It is hard enough missing a match under any circumstances, but in those days
when organising them was a bit of an ordeal it must have been really annoying.
It’s great the way the stuff about Trumper and Monty Noble is interspersed with
the local stuff. It also had a yarn about a match in Christchurch where a bail was
dislodged but landed back in the groove of the stumps and the batsman continued
on. In the December 10 edition Walcha Road are planning another trip to Walcha
and the correspondent laments the Roadites’ lack of success against that team and
finishes with the usual backhander “Wollun seems to be the only team they can
score a win from”. The Yarrowitch correspondent says: “All are eager to know the
result of the coming cricket match which is to be played at Mr. Hogno’s Upper Tia
on the 10th, when our boys are to meet St Aubynites and a good game is expected.”
St Aubyn’s may have been an early incantation of Round Swamp. Finally the
Uralla correspondent says the junior team were defeated by Dumaresq.
More teams and more reports. Cricket was obviously very popular. Within 30
years there would be a two-tiered comp. In the December 17 edition.
Walcha will be represented by the following players in the match against Salisbury on
the Show Ground today: – Fleming, Ireland, H. Nash, Harding, Nivison, Rev. J. Love,
J. Nash, Costello, Uren, Kilpatrick, Blomfield; emergencies, Carey, Case and Murphy.
Play to start at 11am.
The secretary of the local club has received word from Tamworth that Christmas Eve
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(Saturday next) is the day fixed for the match Tamworth v. Walcha.
The Wollun correspondent, on December 17, 1904, reported ‘‘Our cricket
enthusiasts’’ getting badly beaten and the plans for a return match and ‘‘I might
add that the ‘big gun’ who compiled a century when playing for Wollun only
made three on Saturday playing against us. Are you listening Walcha Road?’’
The Yarrowitch correspondent reported: ‘‘Our cricketers were not so successful
though on Saturday having been defeated by St Aubyn’s team. The result, I have
been informed, will appear in the ‘News’, therefore I need not make any comments
on the match. Before the season closes we may yet regain the lost ‘ashes’. Our club
has a new mat and other tools and our boys have been very active of late practising
for the coming matches.” The edition does have the scoreboards of Walcha’s easy
win over Walcha Road and St Aubyn’s win by an innings over Yarrowitch at Mr
Hogno’s Upper Tia. The St Aubyn’s side contained three Hoys, one Chandler and
two of the stars of the time, Ireland P. Carey. Ireland came in at no.11 and topscored with 48 and then took 2-12 in the first dig and 3-29 in the second. Carey took
6-20 and 4-21. A. Chandler for St Aubyn’s took 2-14 in the first dig. Yarrowitch
had four Chandlers and a Bowden. Following is the report from that paper.
Walcha easily defeated Walcha Road on Saturday last. The match was a very tame
one throughout.
The Roadites must now be satisfied that Walcha is the superior team of the two.
Still the lads from the Road are good sports and a match with them is always enjoyed.
H. Nash and R.H. Blomfield again demonstrated their batting ability. The former
obtained 38 and the later 32.
Fleming’s bowling for the local club was much admired.
T. Edwards also showed good form with the ball.
Salisbury and Walcha will try conclusions on the Show Ground today.
A good contest should be witnessed as some of the best players in the district will
be taking part.
The Secretary of the Walcha Club has not yet received any notice from the Tamworth
Cricket Union as to the day on which the Walcha team is to visit Tamworth, but it is
thought that Boxing Day will be the day fixed.
Frank Iredale heads the list of batting averages for First Grade in Sydney cricket
in Sydney. His average is 99.60.
The match NSW v. South Australia will commence today.
Walcha has very little hope of providing a cricketer of any great ability as it is
about the only town in the State that has no junior club.
Terrible Vale had introduced matting wickets and the report from Yarrowitch
is another reference to them, and the first reference to practice. The mats were just
secured on the grass in the middle of the field by pegs. Rob Blomfield actually
encountered such a set-up in Canada on the Emus’ world tour in the early 1970s.
In the early days of cricket the pitch did not always run north-south. Games
were played on the most level piece of ground and the grass was beaten down or
“mowed” by sheep. Until permanent grounds were established with pitches, the
visiting team had the choice of where the wicket was “pitched”, but it had to be
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within 30 yards of the point chosen by the home team. The wicket was then pitched
to coincide with the dial of a sun block. A 12 o’clock pitch was north-south, and
this became pretty much the norm when pitches were permanently laid. Holstein
and Lyon’s Nowendoc refers to ‘‘boards’’. That would have been interesting to bat
on. The famous antbed wicket at The Park was first laid in the 1930s, replacing a
cement pitch. The Yarrowitch reference to the “ashes’ is interesting. Fascinating
too that thoughts are turning to junior cricket and higher representation. Country
v Metropolitan fixtures starting in 1895, the touring English team playing a match
in Armidale and Sunny Jim’s efforts all probably played a role. Walcha Road’s
Harding was already in the New England team. The December 24 edition reported
the following:
The match, Walcha v. Salisbury, played on the Show Ground last Saturday was a very
interesting one, a really good exhibition of cricket being given by both teams.
Walcha proved victorious by 90 runs.
A. Smith played a good innings for Salisbury, his score being 56. The innings was
not faultless, several chances being given.
H. Nash is about the most consistent bat in the Walcha team, his average being
somewhere about 35 runs per innings.
F. Nivison made his first appearance on Saturday in 1904 cricket. His display with
the bat was a pleasure to witness and stamps him as one of the best bats in the district.
His score amounted to 67 included in which were six 5’s and five 4’s. He must be a
good man in form, and it is hoped that he will continue to play.
Ireland as an all-round cricketer is in my opinion the best man in the district. His
display with the bat on Saturday was faultless, his score being 81. His bowling was good,
although his “break” was not as conspicuous as on the last occasion he played here.
Fleming knocked up 16 with the bat with very steady batting. He obtained the
bowling average for the day with 3 wickets for 30 runs.
The local lads are playing in Tamworth today and it is to be hoped that they give
a good account of themselves against such strong opponents. The match, at all events,
should be beneficial to our lads, as it might possibly lead to the introduction of Walcha
players into more important matches.
The secretary of the local club received word from Yarrowitch during the week that
they were unable to accept the Walcha club’s challenge for a match on Boxing Day.
Messrs. Mackay and Blomfield were selected from the Salisbury team to journey
to Tamworth.
The secretary of the local club is endeavouring to organise a team to visit Salisbury
on Boxing Day.
There was a larger attendance of spectators than usual at the match on Saturday.
The “News” will receive the result of the Walcha-Tamworth match by wire on
Saturday.
If blokes from Salisbury were selected for Walcha for a game against Tamworth
then they must have been part of our “comp”. Another page of the December
24, 1904 edition carries the “Essence of Sport” column with state athletics, and
international and interstate cricket reports and then more information on the
Walcha v. Salisbury match.
WALCHA v SALISBURY
The cricket match played on Saturday between the above clubs was proclaimed by many
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Salisbury
Walcha
G. Mackay c and b Ireland 21
W. Betts b Ireland 21
G. Blomfield c Borthwick b Fleming 1
A. Smith c Ireland b Nivison 56
J. Burraston b Ireland 1
R. Burley c Costello b Fleming 29
T. Ward not out 10
R. Betts b Ireland 0
A. Ward b Fleming 0
A. Green b Ireland 1
Sundries 6
Total 146
Bowling: Ireland 6 for 82, Nivison 1 for 28,
Fleming 3 for 30.
Fleming b Smith 16
H. Nash st Burley b Blomfield 23
R. Borthwick thrown out 0
Ireland c Blomfield b Blomfield 81
R. Blomfield b Blomfield 4
F. Nivison c Blomfield b Smith 67
Rev. Love c Mackay b Smith 15
J Nash b Blomfield 6
C. Case b Smith 3
J. Costello b Smith 0
N. Case not out 3
Sundries 18
Total 236
to have been the best game ever witnessed on the local wicket. The Walcha club proved
victorious by 90 runs after a splendid exhibition of batting. Appended are the scores. –
Unfortunately there is no bowling analysis for the Walcha innings, but there
are many things of interest from the board. Is G. Mackay related to Sunny Jim
Mackay? Salisbury only batted 10 men. Is there a Blomfield missing or was Ireland
c and b by the only Blomfield, G. Blomfield? And what of the odds of R. Blomfield
being dismissed by G. Blomfield? A. Smith, it seems, is Amos Smith, formerly
playing for Wollun and now for Salisbury and perhaps the “big gun” referred to by
the Wollun correspondent? All the good players are all-rounders. No dramas with
a Borthwick catching a Blomfield. ‘‘Thrown out’’ is a much better description
than ‘‘run out’’ if that is what it means. Nivison’s fives would have cleared the
boundary. Six runs were only awarded for doing that from 1905-06.
December 24 lists the team to ‘‘represent Walcha in the match against
combined Tamworth, on the Oval, Tamworth, today. F. Fleming, H. Nash, J.
Ireland, J. Nash, F. Nivison, M. Soane, R. Blomfield, T. Edwards, – Blomfield,
R. Borthwick and B. Thorsby.” It then names the Tamworth team. The Tamworth
match has a bit of post -World War II Veterans’ Cup feel about it. And that’s a very
strong Walcha side. M. Soane is an interesting one. In the 1904 New England side
of which Walcha Road’s Harding was a member, there was also a Soane, but listed
as coming from Uralla. The M. Soane in the Walcha side is from Salisbury, but
later appears as Soame. Might be the same bloke. And finally in the December 24
edition: “A challenge was sent by the second eleven of Walcha’s cricketers, to meet
the Yarrowitch team at Tia on Boxing Day, but arrangements could not be made to
play a match on that day.” Ah, the Second XI. What stories would come from this
collection down the years.
The December 31 edition has the Wollun correspondent’s report.
Our knights of the (weeping) willow played a game on the local ground on Saturday
against an exceptionally strong team from Salisbury. As usual our chaps came off
second best, but I saw the game and there was nothing to complain about this time.
After a good game the visitors were declared victors by 14 runs. Messrs H. Blaxland,
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T. Bishop and P. Wright batted best for the losers and G. Mackay, A. Smith and C.
Blomfield for the winners. Scores appended.
Mackay hit 91 opening the innings for Salisbury and Blaxland 68 opening for
Wollun. The “Essence of Sport” column carries the scoreboard of the Salisbury v.
Walcha match “played at Salisbury on Tuesday, and resulted in a win for the home
team” and the Walcha v. Tamworth match. In the game at Salisbury Amos Smith
top-scored for the home team with 75, while G. Mackay knocked up 48 in a total
of 176. M. Soame took 7-82. Walcha only totalled 44, Soame top-scoring with 17
opening. Blaxland took 7-27 and Smith 3-5 again highlighting the remarkable run
of all-rounders that dates back this far. Walcha scored 139 in their second innings,
Soame again top-scoring with 84. In the match at Tamworth Oval Walcha went
down again, this time by 53 runs. Tamworth compiled 211 with Fleming taking
4-40 and Thorsby 4-49. Walcha were cleaned up for 158, Soame again to the fore
with 62, Frank Nivison 27 and Fleming batting at 10 hit 16 in a good double.
So completes a snapshot of half a summer from more than a hundred years
ago. A different world, surely, but in terms of cricket it’s surprising how little has
changed and how the distinctive nature of “Walcha” cricket was well established.
The paper the Walcha News with its community correspondents was certainly
a boon for the sport, and for the community generally when you read the other
reports, and shows the importance the press played at every level in establishing
cricket’s enduring nature. Who among us today can avoid studying a scoreboard?
Cricket, the town and the district were firing, so much so that Walcha RoadWalcha or thereabouts was one of the proposed areas along with Dalgety on the
NSW-Victorian border for the siting of the national capital before the decision
was made in 1908 to place Canberra in its present location. The game between
Walcha and Salisbury recorded by the Wandering Reporter in 1866 is important
because it shows cricket was already well established and the match was a big
event. In little more than a decade (1878) the local secretary was saying Walcha
was the terror of district cricket; within 20 years (1884) we know cricket was being
played at Nowendoc, and Emu Creek had a team; within 40 years (1904) another
Walcha versus Salisbury match at the Showground was described as the best-ever
witnessed in the district; and within 100 years (circa 1961) Walcha District could
lay claim to being the strongest in NSW country, already having provided myriad
representative players including two for Combined Country, one a captain.
Although games in the early part of the 20th century were still by invitation,
Walcha, Walcha Road, Wollun, St Aubyn’s, Yarrowitch and Salisbury, that we
know of, were playing on a fairly regular basis on Saturdays. It’s not hard to see
why a regular competition proper started. International, intercolonial and Country
Week cricket were well established and Armidale had formed its New England
Cricket Association. Walcha for years had been selecting representative “district”
sides to play against Armidale and Tamworth among others. Players such as
Harding were featuring in higher-level representative teams and talk, too, had
turned to establishing junior cricket in Walcha to augment the area’s standard.
The Armidale Express reports that New England won the northern premiership
44
in 1912 under a scheme launched by the NSW Cricket Association. This was
the forerunner to the Northern Tablelands Council and Walcha would go on to
provide many of its most famous players. The Express also reported that “as was
the case in other sports the 1914-18 War caused a big setback to country cricket”.
World War I wasn’t the only event to intervene in the lives of those in the Walcha
district. There was a rabbit plague in 1917, a drought from 1918-1924 and then
the Depression from 1929-1932 when wool prices also fell and many people left
the region, unable to survive tough financial times. Despite this, the agricultural
seasons between 1924-1937 were great and pasture improvement from the late1930s continued after the Second World War along with a wool boom.
Cricket played an important role in fostering an identity among the smaller
communities and the town itself and in the social cohesion of the district. As such
the game flourished in Walcha throughout the 1920s and 1930s. And so did the
competitions, the cups runneth over, the McCrae Cup, the News Cup, the Gripu
Cup, the Romano Challenge Cup, the Forwell Challenge Cup and the Yalgoo
Shield. As Warwick Fletcher would remark many years later “the competition was
fierce”. The larrikinism is there too, the young players and the familiar district
and “cricket” names. The longevity of the players is starting to emerge, and as
ever, the all-rounders are to the fore. Walcha’s contribution of quality players to
representative teams is a feature of the game and this was in evidence between
the Wars with performances at Country Week. And speaking of representative
players we have a “smoky” almost in the same vein as “Sunny Jim”.
John Edward “Jack” Walsh is listed on various cricket websites as having
being born at Walcha on December 4, 1912, and is described as a left-hand bat and
slow left-arm chinaman bowler for Leicestershire and NSW. He played nearly all
his cricket in England and his story is fascinating. But did he play in Walcha before
his amazing career began in Sydney grade cricket? Following is his profile from
Wisden and other sources.
“Jack Walsh, one of the most baffling left-arm spin bowlers the game has
known, died in May 1980 in Wallsend, Newcastle, NSW aged 67. An aggressive
late-order left-handed batsman and a bowler of left-arm chinamen and googlies
(of two varieties), Walsh was brought out of Australian club cricket in 1936 to
play as one of the professionals in the side taken by the Nottinghamshire cricket
impresario Sir Julien Cahn to tour Sri Lanka. Cahn’s sides played some first-class
matches on this and other tours and in English seasons across the 1930s and over
the next three years, Walsh played more than 60 matches for Cahn’s sides, touring
New Zealand in 1938-39 and playing three seasons in England. He also played a
few county matches as an amateur for Leicestershire.
“In 1946 he joined the staff as a professional, and by his retirement in 1956 he
had taken 1190 first-class wickets at 24.56, which included the astonishing number
of 98 instances of five or more wickets in an innings. Spinning the ‘chinaman’
and a hard-to-detect googly a great distance, he was considered by some to be a
better bowler than Fleetwood-Smith. When he was on a length he could be played
with comfort by no batsman in the world. Nor could wicketkeepers relax. Godfrey
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Evans, when he first kept to Walsh in the 1947 Gentlemen v Players match, was
hard put to read him. Seven times from 1946 to 1953 he took 100 wickets in a
season, missing much of 1951 through illness. His biggest haul came in 1948,
when he took 174 wickets at 19.56, 15 of the wickets coming at Hove for 100 runs
in his best Championship match performance. His best innings analysis was 9-101
for Cahn’s XI v Glamorgan at Newport in 1938, but his most remarkable spell
came at Trent Bridge in 1946, when he took five wickets in nine balls on his way
to figures of 8-69, one of nine ‘eight-fors’ for Leicestershire.
“With fellow Australian all-rounder Vic Jackson, he helped make the county
a force in the land. As a stylish lower-order batsman with a keenness for the big
straight-drive, he twice reached a hundred, and in 1952, in his 40th year, he did
the double: only Wilfred Rhodes had done so at a greater age. In all first-class
cricket Walsh scored 7247 runs at 17.76. His benefit match in 1955, which returned
him just over £3000, is remembered for the amazing bowling of his captain,
Charles Palmer, who intended to bowl one over to change his bowlers’ ends and
finished with 8-7, the eight Surrey wickets falling without cost to him in 64 balls.
Walsh bowled left-handed wrist spin, but he could bowl right-handed leg breaks
and googlies almost as well. For a couple of years, Walsh was assistant coach at
Leicester and captain of the second XI. Having coached in Southern Rhodesia, he
took assignments in Scotland and Tasmania before returning to Newcastle, where
he continued coaching.”
Returning is the key word here. Does that mean he came from Newcastle?
Walsh played only two first-class matches in Australia, both for NSW in the 193940 season. He was playing for Glebe in Sydney in 1932 when he would have been
20-odd. If his cricket career did start in Walcha before he moved to Sydney I’m
guessing he would have been unplayable on the coir mats.
Before World War II, in the 1930s up until 1938, Walcha fielded up to 19
cricket teams in a district competition that was played in A and B grades. More
than 200 players took to the field and every team had more than enough reserves
to fall back on. During this time, 15 of the 17 teams competed in different years.
Walcha’s population in the 1930s was at its highest, reaching 4460 with the Apsley
Shire having 2934 and the Walcha Municipality 1526 persons. Cricket was played
on Sundays and the rules were strict regarding the start of play. No play was
allowed on The Park before 12.20pm because there was to be no interference with
church services. Play on the small grounds dotted around the district could start
at 11am. Presumably they arose up earlier than the townies or people in Walcha
prayed for longer. Many years later the great supporter of Walcha cricket Ruth
Cotterill would ensure she attended the early service on Sundays so she was ready
for scoring duties on district trips.
The Colts cricket team that competed between the wars had a rule that said their
players had to be 21 and under, later raised to 23. This age restriction was dropped
after the Second World War. The other teams that competed alongside Colts through
the 1930s were: Commercial, Riamukka with both A and B grade teams, Round
Swamp, Nowendoc, Glen Morrison, “Ingalba”, Apsley, Warrigals, New England,
46
Europambela Station, Wanderers (an Aboriginal team), Yarrowitch, Orandumbie
Station, Kentucky South, Walcha Road, Woolbrook, Lonsdale Bridge, Camp Fire
and Citizens (organised by Walcha police sergeant Schrader). The Wanderers team
comprised Joe, Russell, Ritchie, Cecil and S. Morris, A. and T. Rudder, F. Barber,
H. Naylor, D. Archibald, C. Edwards, D. Griffen, W. Foote and F. Brady.
There were also three famous families that had teams of their own: the Hoys
of Lonsdale Bridge (who could also provide umpires and three or four reserves),
the Golledges of Woolbrook and the Chandlers of Yarrowitch. The Chandlers only
numbered 10, but Frank Whitehead was married to a Chandler and filled in as the
11th man. The Golledges team was: T., G.L., C., A., F., J.E., J., C.M., P. and C.R.
There were two Jack Golledges, one known as “Ginger Jack” to avoid confusion.
The Hoys were: Stan, Ray, Ken, Max, Elwyn, Long Harry, Shortie, Alex,
Russell, Long Bill and Shortie jun. The Hoys were the backbone of the Lonsdale
Bridge team and after it folded, Yarrowitch briefly and then Round Swamp. Glen
Coulton, a schoolteacher in Walcha in the late 1950s can remember playing in a
team comprising him as wicketkeeper and 10 Hoys.
As Victor “Stonewall” Stanley Hoy recalled: “Lonsdale Bridge reached the
finals three years running and were runners-up in 1934-35 and 1935-36, and
premiers in 1936-37 when they defeated Orandumbie. That final was a very close
match right up to the finish with some fine bowling and catching from both sides.
Tom White, the Lonsdale Bridge wicketkeeper scored a fine century. Norman
Johanson bowled superbly capturing seven wickets for very few runs.
The team, [when looking at a photo] Back row left to right: Elwyn Hoy, Artie
Hoy, ‘Long’ Harry Hoy, Tom White, Norman Johanson, Mick Dunn;
Front row: Russel Hoy, Stan Hoy, Dudley Dunn, ‘Short’ Harry Hoy and ‘Short’
Bill Hoy.
“Two key players were missing from the team, Reg Usback, the opening
batsman and fast bowler, and probably Jack Johanson, the team’s main slips
fieldsman and first-drop bat. After winning the final a dinner was held at the
Royal Hotel. All the players and supporters gathered together. A great time was
had by all discussing the game. Lonsdale Bridge folded during the War years but
regrouped afterwards when again there were six Hoys playing. The team won the
grand final against Kentucky in 1949-50. When Lonsdale Bridge folded up for
good several Hoys, about five or six, played for Round Swamp.”
(N.B. The Hoys in Hindsight study has Tom White named as Vic White and the
player in the front with the bat was thought to be Jack Johanson, but Stan says it’s
Dudley Dunn.)
The Golledges hailed from Woolbrook and Walcha Road and Percy Golledge
went on to be an important figure in post-War cricket in the district. The Chandlers
played for Yarrowitch.
Lonsdale Bridge player Reg Usback continued the trend of the hard-hitting
opening batsman/opening bowler all-rounder. Reg featured in an interesting
incident involving a challenge with a prize of 10 quid for the first person to hit a
ball from Tamworth’s No.1 Oval into Tamworth Olympic Pool. Reg was the first.
47
A BRIDGE TO FAR: The Lonsdale Bridge premiership-winning team from 1936-37.
Back row left to right: Elwyn Hoy, Artie Hoy, ‘Long’ Harry Hoy, Tom White, Norman Johanson, Mick Dunn;
Front row: Russel Hoy, Stan Hoy, Dudley Dunn, ‘Short’ Harry Hoy and ‘Short’ Bill Hoy. (N.B. The Hoys in
Hindsight study has Tom White named as Vic White and the player in the front with the bat was thought to be
Jack Johanson, but Stan Hoy says it’s Dudley Dunn.)
Playing for Walcha in a district game he straight-drove a Tamworth bowler back
over his head into the baths, a carry of about 130 yards. A week later the great
NSW all-rounder Cec Pepper was playing in Tamworth and hit a ball from No.1
“on the bounce” into the pool, and was offered the dough. The Walcha Association
protested loudly and Reg duly received his reward.
William Holstein snr’s account in Nowendoc notes that a wicket was put down
near the sale yards and used extensively. “Very little cricket was played during the
depression years. It was not until Nowendoc decided to form a club and establish
a wicket at the 2 mile on the Sports Ground that cricket became popular once
again.” A Cricket Club Dance at Nowendoc Hall in 1921 raised enough funds to
get things going and cricket was played extensively at Round Swamp, Lonsdale
Bridge, Walcha and Walcha Road. Bowden’s of Walcha transported the town
teams to Nowendoc in a Cadillac bus.
Former RSL Club secretary-manager Frank Brazel kept a wonderful collection
of old newspaper clippings, unfortunately without dates. But the correspondents
from the various papers have such great writing styles it’s worth reprinting their
reports for the flavour of cricket in Walcha between the two World Wars and
during the Depression.
First, a sad note from The Sydney Morning Herald, of Wednesday, December
7, 1932.
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NEWSPAPER OFFICE BURNT.
WALCHA, Tuesday
Fire broke out shortly after 3 o’clock this morning in the printing office of the “Walcha
News,” and the building and its contents were destroyed.
The adjoining premises – a furniture store occupied by McRae Bros, and a cottage
occupied by Mr. McMullen – were saved.
The newspaper plant, owned by Mr JJ Fowler, and the building, owned by Mr
Townsend, were insured. This is the second time the, “Walcha News” has been burnt
out.
This was a tragedy for anyone interested in history, not just cricket history,
especially if you’re of the opinion that it’s easier to work out where you’re going
if you know where you’re coming from. The relationship between cricket in
Walcha and local newspapers can’t be overestimated. After all, The Armidale
Express of 1861 was considered to have a big enough footprint to warrant those
proposing a cricket club in Walcha to put in a notice to that end. Readers had
probably been following scores of matches around Armidale, the colony and
the world. A scoreboard can us tell us plenty, even 150 years later. The Walcha
Witness reported and seemingly encouraged the game and then the Walcha News
from its inception in 1904 took this to a new level. In researching the old papers
it was eye-opening to see the effect the “new” paper had on the wider Walcha
community and district after it started printing. In relation to cricket, the Walcha
News’s district correspondents reported extensively and engagingly on the game.
This trend continued into the 1930s and we play still for the News Cup to this day.
Big crowds attended the games between the wars and as with all sport
there’s always some spectators with plenty of advice for the players. New England
49
(Walcha) bowler Clive McNeill thought enough was enough at The Park one day
when a heckler repeatedly called him “Piston Arm” because of his characteristic
bowling style. In true fast bowler fashion, he calmly placed the ball near the
stumps in the middle of an over, rushed up the hill and dealt with the offender with
a straight left, returned to the pitch and finished his over.
Hitting was the order of the day. Ben Singleton playing for Woolbrook on The
Park in 1933 hit 131 not out including 13 sixes and 10 fours, 118 in boundaries, in
30 minutes.
There was certainly never any shortage of action when the Citizens were
playing. In December 1934 a budding Citizens batsman was intent on lifting a
Walcha Road bowler out of the ground “with a swipe that would’ve cleaned the
national debt”. He was beaten all ends up and his swing was so exaggerated that
he turned almost full circle and collected his stumps on the way. He then quite
calmly and methodically re-erected the pegs and bails and took block ready for the
next ball. There was no appeal and the game went on as if nothing had happened.
In the same game, a Citizens batsman turned up at the crease with only one pad,
and on the wrong leg.
Dick Croft was wicketkeeping on The Park one day with a tin of waxed
matches in his pocket. It was a hot day and all of a sudden he had teammates
perplexed with his performance of a weird dance. The penny dropped when a
fielder noticed smoke coming from Dick’s strides. But that’s not the end of the
spontaneous combustion yarn. Because he had the ‘keeping gloves on, he couldn’t
get into the pocket to remove the tin. Finally one of his teammates helped him out.
Archer Croft performed the quite remarkable feat in February 1936 of capturing
a hat-trick in each innings of a match and dismissing the same three batsmen both
times. The Warrigals all-rounder and rep cricketer cleaned up Citizens batsmen
Arthur New, Fred Schrader and Dick Lown. Arthur New had made three in the
first innings, but Croft’s next five scalps in his “twin hat-trick” were all for ducks.
At the time only seven other bowlers had achieved the feat. The story went around
the world and the bible of cricket, Wisden, acknowledged the performance.
The 1934 final between New England and Woolbrook was a tight affair. New
England made 72 in their first innings and only 12 in their second for a total of 84.
Woolbrook replied with 38 and 30, a total of 68. For New England, J. Carolan took
7-21 and 5-14 for match figures of 12-35; and Geoff Case took 3-15 and 4-11 for
match figures of 7-26. For Woolbrook, P. Williamson took 4-12 and 4-7 (8-19) and
Merv McHattan 1-14 and 4-4.
Colts have always played it hard, even before the War when they were young.
Alick Bird always said he hated playing Colts because of the Fletcher brothers.
“They’ve got that old fox Don as captain running the game, Andy behind the pegs
giving you no let-up and bloody Jim coming in firing darts.” Col Wall knows how he
felt. Col was playing for Apsley against Don’s Colts and appealed for a catch behind
off his bowling, which was turned down. A couple of deliveries later he appealed for
an lbw, which was again denied. In his next over he clean bowled a Colts batsman
and said: “Well, how’s that?” “Not out,” came the reply. “No ball.”
50
Following are the reports and team captions from the collection of old Frank
Brazel.
Unfortunately there are no dates or years, but they are timeless, and the names
are worth remembering.
I’m guessing they’re from the early 1930s, the clues being the Walcha News
fire and references to Clive Roper’s age.
ANT-BED WICKETS AT WALCHA
WALCHA, Friday. – At first reluctant to have the concrete wicket on the park torn up
and replaced with ant-bed, the municipal council eventually gave way to a delegation
from the Cricket and Umpires’ Association, who considered the wicket dangerous.
The work of laying the new pitch will commence immediately.
Colts Club are also going in for an ant-bed wicket on the new area of the Town
Common.
The association expects to have ten clubs competing locally.
Ingalba had a slap at Walcha Colts, premiers of last year, in the semi-final of
Yalgoo Shield. Colts went out hot favourites, and totalled 132. Young Jim Fletcher
played a great knock for 44. Fuller knocked up 30 in about half as many minutes.
Aisbett was on the job and his bag was 6 for 15.
Few gave Ingalba a chance, so imagine the excitement when the southern reps
passed the town team’s score with seven wickets in hand. It was the biggest surprise
of the season.
Harvey Brazel gave a delightful exhibition for 87. Don Jamieson slammed one after
another to the boundary and carried his bat for 65. Ingalba went on to 192 for four.
They will now meet New England in the final next Sunday.
***
A WALCHA eleven engaged Camp Fire at the weekend. The visitors made a stubborn
stand for 161, Kermode hitting up 51, White 23, and Grieve 31. Walcha replied with
177. A Feature was John Riley’s whirlwind dig. In his 77 were eight sixers.
Rain interfered with Walcha comp matches. Colts went 29 miles to Ingalba and
didn’t get a hit. Ingalba totalled 101 when a downpour put a dampener on the match.
Emu Creek met a similar fate at Woolbrook. The home team had 8-114 when the
full blast of the storm hit Woolbrook.
Summervale, competing in the Walcha B Grade comp made Europambela look like
the world’s worst cricketers.
Summervale knocked up 100, half the total coming from Edwards. Europambela’s
stand was as brief as a seaside flapper’s bathing costume. The last wicket toppled for
a total of 11 runs. Russell Morris’ bag was five wickets for none. Alf Rudder put the
other five out for eight.
EMU Creek hammered the socks off New England (Walcha) in an A Grade comp
match. New England’s feeble effort, 34. Macdonald and Coates had a great time, the
former skittling 2-8 and Coates 7-17. Emu Creek had an 8 wickets win.
***
Orandumbie and Woolbrook broke even in the first innings of their B Grade match.
Each finished with 58. Woolbrook went in again and were out for 49, but Orandumbie
replied with 110, Hoy 21 and R. Kitcher 17, doing best with the bat. For Orandumbie,
Lynch took 5-13, Roper 10-41 and Betts 5-6. MacNamara 4-30, Parsons 4-8 and
Gardner 5-33 were Woolbrook’s best bowlers.
A heavy storm saw Europambela (2-37) robbed of victory over Walcha Colts (67).
51
F. Betts 4-8 and A. Betts 3-15 routed Colts.
WALCHA-NEW ENGLAND, with a bye in the Gripu Cup Knock-out, were
accommodated by a Uralla eleven in a friendly game on the new park wicket on Sunday.
The new pitch did not appeal to the northerners (they were wiped off for 59, Grieve,
19, top-scoring). Walcha had a whale of a time. Ray Mullins, district’s most consistent
bat, went for half a century when a full pitcher beat him. Heffernan (17), McNeill (25)
and Leedham (26) gave solid displays. Jack Young, a recruit, showed promise with
the willow, but was caught when 11. Jack Riley’s crack, as usual, was a whirlwind. He
pasted the bowling unmercifully, putting on 36 in a few minutes. His knock included
three sixers and three fours.
New England’s score was 240. Bowling for the winners, Conn 4-21, McNeill 3-20,
and Leedham 2-11.
WALCHA Colts can’t understand it at all. When they put the crack New England
(Walcha) team through for 97 in a comp match on the Association wicket on Sunday,
everything was lovely, according to the premiers of last year.
Colts’ hopes were knocked sky high as the New England trundlers got in among
them, and the side was out for 53.
Jim Fletcher, tenth man in, topped with 14.
Tom Leedham, selected for Country Week, at Newcastle, was at his top. His bag
was 5-22. McNeill, the fast man of New England, was seen at his best - five overs, 2
maidens, 3 wickets for 9 runs. Chandler got the other two for 13. Mullins (36) was best
for New England.
WALCHA Cricket Association will send a team to Tamworth on Saturday to meet the
rep team there. Tamworth are keen to avenge their recent defeat at Walcha.
Mullins, Leedham, Coates, Nivison, Macdonald (capt.), Heffernan, Donnelly,
Fuller, Ewing, Brazel, C. and H. Roper will travel.
The McRae Cup was donated by Mr D.R.C. McRae to the Walcha District Cricket
Association for the inter-district competition. The winners of the southern division
met the winners of the northern division in the final at Walcha. The McCrae Cup
B-Grade winners before the Second World War were: 1931 Europambela; 1932 Round
Swamp; 1933 Walcha Road; 1934 Nowendoc; 1935 Europambela; 1936 Kentucky; 1937
Lonsdale Bridge; 1938 Kentucky and 1939 Europambela.
An article published in The Sun has a striking picture of a young, tall, handsome
Clive Roper with a beautifully relaxed stance, not unlike Victor Trumper. The
caption reads: “Clive Roper, of the Walcha Colts’ Club. This 16-year-old lad, after
four centuries in A grade cricket, broke the Association ground record with a
chanceless 178 not out. He is the outstanding bat in the Walcha District.” In the
Northern Daily Leader under the same picture. “PROMISING CRICKETER. –
Although only 16 years of age, Clive Roper is looked upon as one of the best bats
in Walcha district. Playing for Colts Club in A grade cricket he topped off four
centuries with a brilliant 178 not out. Other clippings.
CLIVE Roper was presented by Mr D. Fowler, patron of Walcha Colts Club, with a
very fine enlarged coloured photograph of himself as an appreciation of his valuable
services to the club. (This is pictured right. It again highlights the connection of the
local press and Walcha cricket.)
WALCHA Colts played the best knock of their career when they dished Walcha New
England by an innings and six runs in the final of the “Yalgoo” Shield.
52
53
More reports from the Walcha News.
WALCHA’S BIG WIN
WALCHA, Wednesday. – In a try-out prior to the opening of the Gripu Cup knockout competition, New England (Walcha) engaged Orandumbie in a match on the latter’s wicket. Walcha Eleven were in fine form, winning by an innings and 96 runs.
Orandumbie 37 and 70 (H. Roper 39).
New England 203 (M. Heffernan 40, R. Mullins 51, T. Leedham 33, A. Chandler
31).
Leedham and Chandler, in addition to being handy bats, are also the district’s
leading bowlers. Leedham’s bag against Orandumbie was 6 for 22. Chandler captured
5 for 33, McNeill, the fast bowler, took 3 for 6.
The Gripu Cup knock-out commences on Sunday, eight teams participating.
CLASSY COLTS
Walcha “Big Boys” Well Walloped
(From “Truth’s” Walcha Rep.)
A THUD – and wotta thud!
Walcha, New England, players, are wearing faces longer than the week’s meat bill
since the youthful “Colts” wiped the earth with ’em in the district comp. at Walcha
last Sunday.
They thought it was easy money, but the ‘colts’ gave them a headache that won’t
wear off.
Walcha New England won the toss and Case and Roper started a partnership that
ended when the former was out lbw to Clive Roper for 4. Alby Chandler joined Roper,
and they carried the score to 30, when the latter was caught on the boundary. Tom
Leedham was next and went for 5. Chandler quickly followed – run out.
Heffernan, who top-scored, stood up to the bowling long enough to get 14.
Five wickets were down for 63, and the Colts were in great fettle. McNeill,
McCormack, Case, and Goman couldn’t raise double figures. K Kitcher added 4, and
Walcha New England were all done at 88.
A. Kitcher took 3-15, W. Fuller 3-20, Clive Roper 2-16, and H. Roper 1-11.
Colts, as usual, opened drastically when two of their brightest bats in Donnelly and
Clive Roper were out for 2.
Some wag opened up from the “Hill” with “Horsey keep your tail up.” It was an
inspiration!
Don Fletcher opened his shoulders and slathered the fast bowlers for 16 before he
was caught, but Alf Fowler’s stand for 23 probably won the day.
He played a snappy innings in the face of deadly bowling, and was given out lbw.
The umpire’s decision was unpopular.
Four were down for 41 when A. Kitcher joined Fuller and they carried on to 50.
W. Castle had the customers on their toes. Bill has a peculiar style, but he got
there for 23.
When O’Brien joined schoolboy Billy Weir, the score stood at 7 for 67, and the
boys went after the runs.
The crowd went frantic when these lads passed the opposition score. Seldom has
such a demonstration been seen on the park.
Weir collected 16 and O’Brien 21.
54
From the Truth newspaper.
INTO THE RIVER
Young Roper “Ropes” in Fine Sixer
EMU CREEK came a cropper when they faced the Walcha colts on the Association
wicket at Walcha in the first round of the competition.
First to the creases, the Creekites put 121 together, Alex Borthwick shaping well for
44. Donnelly and Fletcher opened for the colts, the former being caught and bowled by
Macdonald for a “duck”. Clive Roper joined Fletcher and the two brilliant youngsters
compiled 114 before Fletcher was out lbw to Ewing after batting smartly for 31.
Roper carried his innings to 88. Fast and slow bowlers he treated alike, boundary
hits being piloted to all points, and to top it off he delighted the crowd by sending a
full toss over the fence into the middle of the Apsley River.
Roper, in his two previous appearances, gathered 101 n.o. and 45. He is the most
promising youngster in Walcha district.
He was unlucky to “go” on Sunday. A fast one from Macdonald struck him on the
chest and his legs crumpled like a concertina. He struck the wicket as he fell and was
given a wonderful ovation as he walked off the field for his chanceless display.
His team-mates took the tally to 152, but it was young Roper who carried the day.
Macdonald may have been Cec Macdonald who went on to be a great patron
of the game and was forthright in his comments over the mankad in a 1961 match
between Colts and Round Swamp. But Cec obviously played it hard too if he can
“drop” the form bat of the district well set on 88 with a quick delivery. Some more
snippets.
EMU CREEK is the most successful team to date in the Walcha District Comp. After
defeating Round Swamp handsomely, they appear a cert for the Premiership, with
which goes the handsome “Yalgoo” Shield.
WALCHA-NEW ENGLAND are sore. Ingalba, one of the weakest teams in the
comp., knocked them over with a clear margin of 31 runs.
Ingalba got 117 and dismissed Walcha-New England for 86, Norman Brazel
skittling six-27.
ROUND SWAMP took the gas out of Walcha-New England in the first round of
the Walcha District Comp. Walcha-New England thought it was a shame to take the
money, but they were walloped to the tune of an innings and two runs.
Of Round Swamp’s 146 Bruce Borthwick contributed a rapid 70.
Walcha-New England couldn’t stand up to the battery of Borthwick and Hayes and
were all done at 60. The second effort was a little better – 84. Borthwick’s bag was
12 for 51.
WALCHA Colts showed wonderful form against Round Swamp in the district comp.,
and were unfortunate not to register an outright win.
They showed the large crowd some real cricket, and declared at 6-240.
Don Fletcher got 63 and young Clive Roper 106.
Incidentally, a prominent “Hillie”, Lester Sweeney, will have to fork out the price
of a new bat for Clive Roper. Round Swamp replied with 8-170.
55
SCENES of wild enthusiasm marked the Walcha New England v Colts match. Walcha
romped home with flying colours . . .
More snippets. (the first possibly from 1931 or ‘32)
WHEN play was resumed between Winterbourne and Walcha Colts in the final of the
“Gripu” Cup, it was a good even money bet.
Winterbourne had 61 in hand and three wickets to fall. They struggled on to 85.
Colts went in to knock the wind out of Winterbourne.
It ended up with the Colts wanting 4 runs for a win and three wickets to fall. Money
from home. It was a gift!
But they came a regimental, and the 100 to one pop – Winterbourne – sneaked home
with three runs to spare.
WALCHA District Association sent a representative team to Armidale. Walcha 284
(Leedham 47, Coates 44, H. Roper 37, D Fletcher 30); Armidale 201, Leedham 8-43.
Walcha Colts gave Walcha New England something to chew over in the final of the
“Yalgoo” Shield.
It looks as if the New Englanders’ chance is “Buckley’s”. The young fry finished up
with a lead of 91 runs and four wickets in hand.
Clive Roper, best bat in the district, hit up 111 unfinished.
This is Roper’s fourth century for the season in competition cricket.
The 16-year-old lad was cheered to the echo as his team-mates “chaired” him from
the ground at the conclusion of play.
Walcha New England 119 (Leedham 49); Colts 6-216 (Clive Roper 111 not out).
All roads will lead to the park on Sunday next for the final stages.
WALCHA-NEW ENGLAND Eleven hiked off to Round Swamp last Sunday and
hammered the Swampites to a standstill. Tom Leedham reached his century after
a chanceless exhibition and received a great ovation. He added two more runs and
retired. Round Swamp just escaped an innings licking and was walloped by 10 wickets.
WALCHA COLTS waded into Round Swamp like a Scotsman into “burgoo” and
came home with a clean margin of 45 runs on the first innings.
Another picture of Clive Roper is captioned: “WONDER BOY BAT, Clive
Roper, after four centuries in Walcha’s A Grade cricket, has delighted the fans
with a brilliant 156 not out.” More snippets.
WALCHA colts added another scalp to their collection last week when they trounced
Europambela on the latter’s wicket by 43 runs. Europambela set them a total of 136
to overtake, and things looked blue when Donnelly and Castle opened with a “duck”
apiece. Then Clive Roper saved the day with a brilliant 101 not out.
That’s not a bad score chasing 136.
WALCHA COLTS gave Ingalba the father of a trouncing in the district competition.
Ingalba were sent home for 30 runs, “Darley” Donnelly got 4-10, W. Fuller 3-8,
Herbert Roper 2-8 and brother Clive 1-3.
The colts compiled 93 in a very brief period.
Alan Kitcher hit four sixers in succession; next ball took his middle stump. Ingalba,
in the second dig, were put through for 66, escaping by three runs an innings licking.
56
Wanting four to win, Colts made a bird of it by sending Kitcher and Donnelly in.
The former was 9 not out and the latter 35 not out, which included six fours and a sixer
when the game ended in a heavy shower of rain.
LADY CRICKETERS AT WALCHA
WALCHA, Wednesday. – The Walcha Ladies’ Cricket Club, undefeated last season,
are going to have another flutter this year. There was great enthusiasm at the annual
meeting.
Officials elected were: Patron, Mr. R. McGuffog; president, Mr D. Fowler; vicepresidents, Messrs, Kilpatrick, McMahon, Watts and Bowring; secretary, Miss D.
Eliott; treasurer, Miss J. Partridge.
The club decided to get in touch with Uralla, Bendemeer, Woolbrook, Round Swamp,
Ingalba and Kentucky, for games, and also with a view to organising a competition.
HEAVY rain caused the postponement until Sunday of the final of the Gripu Cup
between New England (Walcha) and Emu Creek. New England are hot favourites.
Walcha Colts, after doing the 10 miles to Orandumbie to meet Ingalba, drew a blank.
Owing to the threatening weather Ingalba wisely stayed home.
Walcha Colts seconds tripped to Woolbrook, but were hammered by 47 runs in a
two-innings match. Colts, in their first dig were outed for 66 (G. Case 28). Woolbrook
replied with 79 (Fogarty 20, Gardner 16, Henry 14). Colts put 71 together in the
second knock, McMullen doing best with 23. At the close Woolbrook had 105 for 7
(Morgan 36, Henry 16, Davidson 13, Marshall 17).
It’s interesting that the scoring is in both the English 105 for 7 and Australian
styles. The association of family names is stronger than ever and would last for
many years. More snippets.
WALCHA. - A grade competition: Ingalba 121 (Stan Brazel 33) defeated Emu Creek
88 (Nivison 31). New England (Walcha) 97 (Mullins 36) defeated Colts 53 (Leedham
5-23). B grade: Summervale Aboriginals 40 and 109 (Morris 23, Hoy 6-12, Case 6-30)
defeated Colts II 62 (Case 35) and 52 (Edwards 11-46).
CRICKET
WALCHA. Wednesday.- Summervale Aborigines 56 (Barber 22) and 131 (A. Rudder
65no, T. Rudder 29) were again defeated by Combined Colts and New England 103
(Donnelly 29, Case 33) and 124 (Donnelly 31, Chandler 23).
WALCHA. Tuesday. - A Grade: Colts 165 (C. Roper 55, F. Roper 49, H. Roper 20)
defeated Emu Creek 123 (J. Ireland 61, Coates 21); New England (Walcha) 152 (McNeill 62, Heffernan 34) defeated Woolbrook 75 (Gardner 26) and 47 (McNeill 5-11,
Chandler 3-8). B Grade: Walcha Road 181 (Gardner retired 70) defeated Europambela
45 and 41; Colts 37 (T. Roper 7-18) and 66 (O. Hoy n.o. 22) defeated Orandumbie 48
(Schrader 3-3, Riley 3-1) and 47 (Schrader 5-18, Riley 3-18).
WALCHA. - A Grade: New England 106 (Heffernan 27) and 2-53 (Borthwick 31
n.o.) defeated Colts 38 (Borthwick 6-17) and 71 (Chandler 6-25); Ingalba 81 (Brazel
28) defeated Emu Creek 55 (McHattan 4-20). B Grade: Summervale Aborigines 160
(Edwards 52) defeated Colts 57 (Morris 6-16) and 72 (Rudder 8-29); Orandumbie 73
57
(New 7-26) and 78 (Farrell 28) defeated Europambela 38 (Kitcher 6-18) and 67 (Kitcher
4-13).
WALCHA- Competition final replay – New England 157 (Leedham 88) defeated
Ingalba 71 (Leedham 5-22). Round Swamp 115 (Ireland 36) and 108 (Hayes 47)
defended the Forwell Challenge Cup against Colts 68 (Ireland 6-31) and 93 (Case
22, Ireland 3-13); Walcha Road 172 (Golledge 52) won the eastern zone competition
defeating Orandumbie 133 (Kitcher 95 n.o.).
Lonsdale Bridge 109 (Hoy 40) and 111 (Irvine 5-21) defeated Europambela 61 (Hoy
9-23) and 49 (Hoy 4-21).
There are some great individual performances here and fascinating to see all
the families in the teams. The fact these reports are datelined “WALCHA” suggests they’re from a paper other than the Walcha News. Of more interest is the
scoring, no initial for any of the Hoys in the Lonsdale Bridge abridged scores.
Must have been fun doing the averages. More snippets.
WALCHA. – Colts 75 defeated Woolbrook 60 (Case 7-8); Summervale 100 (Edwards
50) defeated Europambela 11 (R. Morris 5-0; A. Rudder 5-8). Walcha Road 57 defeated
Orandumbie 38.
How about Morris and Rudder for Summervale?
WALCHA.- A Grade: Colts 218 (Donnelly 35) defeated Emu Creek 80 (Nivison 35,
Hayes 8-20); Woolbrook 108 (Fogarty 27, Borthwick 5-36) defeated New England
104 (Borthwick 62 n.o.). B Grade: Colts 139 (McMullen 35, Schrader 5-17) 52 defeated
Orandumbie 93 (Farrell 37, Schrader 5-17) and 84 (Farrell 27); Walcha Road 89 and
1-138 (Gardner 68 retired) defeated Europambela 122 (new 48) and 26 (Gardner 5-1).
Europambela weren’t spending a lot of time in the nets. Not a bad side to play
against if you were looking to get your bowling average back in shape.
WALCHA.–New England 215 (Leedham 48) defeated Emu Creek 82 (Gill 35,
Kilpatrick 5-16). Summervale 62 (Barber 30) and 78 (Rudder 30) defeated Walcharoad 51 and 5-77 (F. Gardner 26). Colts 62 (Case 21) and 81 (McMullen 23) defeated
Europambela 29 (Case 6-19) and 49 (McMullen 6-19).
WALCHA.- In the “Walcha News” Cup final New England (Walcha) 75 (Borthwick
31 n.o., Brazel 4-7) defeated Ingalba 55 (Leedham 6-17). Woolbrook 99 defeated Colts
(seniors) 55; Orandumbie 63 (Morris 9-23) and 78 (Morris 4-26) defeated Summer
Vale Aborigines 36 (Kitcher 6-9) and 104 (Morris 45, Kitcher 6-31) Europambela 81
(Betts 29, Sutherland 4-10) defeated Woolbrook 24 (New 7-10).
WALCHA.- In the semi-final of the Yalgoo Shield, Ingalba 3-192 (H. Brazel 87)
defeated Colts 132 (J. Fletcher 44, Aisbett 6-15); Walcha District 177 (Riley 77)
defeated Camp Fire 161 (Kermode 51); New England 151 (Heffernan 30) defeated
Orandumbie 74 (Kitcher 22 n.o.) and 84 (Lynch 44).
WALCHA.- Semi-final of “News” Cup:- New England (Walcha) 77 (J. Reid 5-19)
defeated Woolbrook 41 (Leedham 4-9, Borthwick 4-9); Orandumbie 91 (Green 21,
Kitcher 21), Coleman 6-31) and 68 (Kitcher 33, Betts 5-8) defeated Europambela 53
(Kitcher 6-15) and 21 (Kitcher 5-5)
I’m getting the impression Europambela still weren’t getting to the nets.
WALCHA.- Woolbrook 79 (Fogarty 20) and 105 (Morgan 36) defeated Walcha Colts
66 (Case 28) and 71 (McMullen 23).
58
INJURED AT CRICKET
WALCHA, Wednesday.
Hector Pickham, 12, of Woolbrook, was admitted to Walcha Hospital suffering from
a broken leg, caused by a fall from a horse. George Margery had a bone in his chest
broken when he was hit by a cricket ball during a match at Nowendoc.
They play it hard down there.
NEW ENGLAND appear to have Emu Creek well bagged in the final of the Gripu
Cup. When their last wicket fell on Sunday, they had almost doubled the score of their
opponents.
Emu Creek put together 96, Ted Coates (34), Peter Ewing (20) and Jack Crossman
(10) doing best. Tom Leedham took the bowling honours with 4-15, and McNeill
bagged 3-17.
New England gave and entertaining display for 187. Mick Heffernan topped with a
sweet 42. Walter Levingston hit out for 29, Tom Leedham played a stylish knock for
28, and Alby Chandler got the same.
Woolbrook came a cropper in their match with Colts on the new Walcha wicket last
Sunday. They were all out for 20, H. Roper skittling 4-10 and brother Fred 3-8. The
second dig was a little brighter – 36 (Hayes 3-3, Donnelly 3-18). Colts totalled 69
(Morgan 9-34) and 103.
WALCHA ROAD knocked up 172 (G. Golledge 52, Cartan 45) against Orandumbie
133 (K Kitcher 95 not out) and won Walcha B Grade Comp.
INGALBA WERE NEARLY BARRED
HADN’T PAID SUB.
Replay Ordered
AND FIREWORKS
(From ‘‘Truth’s’’ Walcha Rep.)
LIVELY scenes marked the meeting of the Cricket Association which dealt with the
protest lodged by Ingalba against New England.
On February 28 these teams met in the final of the Walcha Comp. Ingalba, beaten
by 20 runs on the first innings, were set the seemingly impossible task of scoring 126
at the close of New England’s second dig.
Only 27 minutes were left in which to do the trick, as a rule of the Association states
that all matches must cease at 6.30.
Ingalba lodged a protest, complaining that New England, by delaying the start 40
minutes, prevented the prescribed five hours actual play, and robbed them of victory.
Ingalba delegates thought themselves home on the bit when a delegate from another
club calmly threw a bombshell.
He stated that he hated to say it, but the chaps who were protesting against New
England’s breach had committed one of the most glaring.
They were unfinancial – had not come up to the scratch with their affiliation fee.
Ingalba’s case fell as flat as a pancake.
But to give them a fair go, the meeting decided to let the teams have another crack
the next day. Both sides were agreeable and before a big attendance New England
again walloped the sox off their opponents.
New England knocked up 157, Tom Leedham giving a sparkling exhibition for 88.
59
Ingalba were wiped off for 71. Leedham again came to light, his bag being 5 for 22.
Ingalba followed on, and at stumps had lost 7 for 51. Leedham, bowling leg theory,
dismissed 5 for 15.
This is a fascinating report and insight into cricket at the time. Note the crowds,
this has come up a few times. Leedham was a representative player and obviously
rose to the occasion in the big games, something we would see repeated until the
present through Jim Fletcher, the Holsteins, Gordon Jamieson, Rob Laurie, Rob
Blomfield, Stephen Goodwin and his sons. Leg theory, or bodyline, was introduced
to Australia by Douglas Jardine in the 1932-33 Ashes series when he used Larwood
and Voce bowling short-pitched balls to the body to negate Bradman.
WOOLBROOK, with a strong side, came to hammer New England in the semi-final
of the ‘‘News’’ Cup. New England had first dig for 77. It must have been a fearful
smack in the eye to the Brook boys to be cleared off for 41.
Tom Leedham and Bruce Borthwick each bagged 4-9. New England, in their second
innings, had 155 for the loss of six wickets when it was called a day.
Orandumbie put the cleaners through Europambela at Walcha at the week-end. In
their first innings they made 91 and Europambela 53. Orandumbie hit up 68 next time
and dismissed Europambela for a paltry 21. Ken Kitcher, for the winners, skittled 11
for 20 on the day. For the vanquished, Betts bagged 5 for 8 and Coleman 6 for 31.
Walcha Triumphs
WALCHA and Tamworth rep teams had an exciting game before a host of fans at
Walcha last Sunday, the locals winning by six runs.
Tamworth had first use of the wicket, but were out for 130. Jackson topped with 27.
Other useful scores were: Hotschkies 25, Rowland jun 11, Donnelly 15. Tom Leedham
the Walcha trundler was deadly, his bag being 7-58.
Walcha replied with 136, Heffernan 20, Mullins 35, Coates 40 giving an entertaining
display. Rowland jun., the visitors’ crack bowler, had a great day, notching 7-42.
Walcha Colts 56 (Riley 18) and 188 (Riley 69, Case 40) had an easy victory over
Europambela 27 and 68. Bowling for the winners, Schrader took 5-12 and McMullen
5-11.
CRICKET FACT AND APOCRYPHA
Walcha Walk Away with Cup For North
NEW ENGLAND (Walcha) wiped the earth with Emu Creek in the final of the Gripu
Cup, concluded on the association wicket at Walcha on Sunday.
NEW ENGLANDERS had a lead of 91 runs on the first innings when the Creekites
again went to the creases. Then the fun began. Tom Leedham, Alby Chandler and
Bruce Borthwick, the New England trundlers, broke through the defence and the
Creek bats were sent home as fast as they could pad up.
Borthwick took three wickets in one over, just missing the hat-trick. Eight wickets
were down for 26 when the New England bowlers eased up. The tail carried the score
to 80, leaving New England winners by an innings and 11 runs.
Best scores were: S. Nivison 10, C. Macdonald 25, E. Fenwicke 19. Chandler bagged
4-15, Leedham 3-19, and Borthwick 3-20.
INGALBA was hammered by New England (Walcha) in the final of the ‘‘Yalgoo’’
60
Shield a couple of weeks back. They again look like going under to the same team in
the Premiership final, with which goes the ‘‘News’’ Cup.
The game commenced on Sunday before a big crowd and took some queer turns.
First to the creases, New England gave a patchy display for 71; Chandler 22 being the
only wielder to do any good. Buckland, with 3-17 and Aisbett 3-21 had the town reps
in a sweat. With 71 to chase the game was in favor of the Southern side. But they lost
7-44 and the game swung back in favor of the town team. N. Brazel came in eighth but
quickly lost Jamieson and L. Brazel for 1 and 0 respectively. McHattan, the last man,
joined N. Brazel, and what a whale of a time these tailenders had? They smacked at
everything that came along and put on 64 before the partnership was broken, creating
a last-wicket record for the park pitch. With a total of 119 and a lead of 48 runs on the
first, the game was decidedly in Ingalba’s favor.
Heffernan and Mullins opened New England’s second innings and at stumps
were still there with 136 on the board. Heffernan lashed the cover off the ball for a
beautifully compiled 97. Mullins played steadily for 35. The pair will come out again
at the final flutter on Sunday. The game is back in the favor of New England. They
now have a lead of 88.
Note the spelling of favor. Some more “SPORT SNAPS”.
WALCHA COLTS galloped over Ingalba on the Park wicket last Sunday, having 114
to spare. The youngsters gave a breezy exhibition in their stand for 232. Billy Fuller,
eighth man in, had the crowd on their toes in his whirlwind knock for 70 unconquered.
Twelve beautiful boundary shots came almost one after the other. A mighty sixer
followed, and the ball lobbed in the river.
Don Fletcher 39, D. Donnelly 19, H. Roper 17, H. Hayes 47 and W. Castle 16, were
other entertaining bats. F. White 3-27 and S. Brazel 3-36, did best with the ball.
***
Ingalba opened brightly and 60 were on he board when their second wicket fell. They
were like a comet – all tail. Slow bowlers Donnelly 3-24 and W. Roper 3-43 then
routed the others, and Ingalba finished up with 118.
Emu Creek made a mess of Woolbrook in the opening round of the Walcha comp.,
winning by 106 on the first innings. Emu Creek 171 (Macdonald 79, Coates 16, Nivison
34) Morgan 6-110, S. Gardner 4-38. Woolbrook 65 (S. Gardner 24, A. Morgan 19).
Coates had a day out, bagging 6-27.
In second grade, Walcha Colts showed Woolbrook how. They put up 128 in their
first dig and wanted to shake hands with all within coo-ee. G. Case 50, O. Hoy 27 and
C. Tarngar 13, applied the blade freely and effectively. Carton took 4-14, Henry 3-30
and Simmons 2-25.
Woolbrook went in, but could only manage 18. Case 4-14, Riley 3-2, McMullen 2-2,
doing the damage. Woolbrook tried again and shaped a little better for 61, Henry 23
top-scorer. Case and Riley shone again, the former taking 3-16 and Riley 4-11.
New England (Walcha) winners of the Gripu Cup in A Grade Comp, came a thud
when Walcha Road seconds knocked them over by 85 runs. Walcha Road 261 (Gardner
100), New England 176 McNeill 46).
This is a historian’s nightmare – the board doesn’t add up in the Woolbrook
first innings. All out 16, but bowling figures add up to 18.
CYCLED TO STUMPS
Do Or Die After A Deluge
61
BIRDS of the web-footed variety have got nothing on Walcha cricketers. Listen
to this. After Woolbrook had dismissed Colts for 75, and were nine down for 50, a
deluge swamped the ground – 96 points of rain were registered in an hour. Colts had
a mortgage on the match, and were keen to play out.
The Woolbrook captain was approached, and it was decided to inspect the wicket.
But the first problem was how to get there.
However, the brain works quickly up in the country air, someone found some push
bikes and the parties rode out from the shelter of the cars! The wicket was inspected,
Woolbrook’s sporting captain acquiesced and play recommenced. Ten runs were
added before the last wicket partnership was broken, and Colts had won by 15 runs.
Finally some captions from the photographs published in various newspapers of
teams that might jolt a memory or two and again give an idea of who was playing.
“The Walcha Colts, winners of the ‘Yalgoo’ Shield (presented by F.W. Nivison, Esq.)
and the Kilpatrick Trophy for the highest single innings score. Back row: H. Roper, W.
Castle, D. Donnelly, A. Kitchen, W. Fuller, D. Fletcher. Front row: A. Fowler, F. Roper,
W. Roper, J Fletcher, C. Roper.”
“WALCHA COMBINED BANKS’ TEAM
COMBINED BANKS’ CRICKET TEAM at Walcha is a solid combination. Back
row: J. Davidson, C. Creasey, J. Horsley, A. Munro, H. Jones and J. Crossman. Front
row: P. Hahesy, G. Conn, E. Coates, M. Solling and S Nivison.”
“WALCHA WILLOW WIELDERS
THE WALCHA COLTS A SIDE, which has shown good form in recent competition
and inter-district games. Back row: (left to right) W. Fuller, D. Donnelly, J. Fletcher,
C. Roper, C. Steep, H. Roper. Front: D. Fletcher, H. Hayes, W. Castle, W. Roper, F.
Roper.”
“THE WALCHA COLTS B TEAM, too, is shaping well. Back Row (left to right):
A. Castle, J. Riley, C. Hammill, O. Hoy, P. Wall, R. McMullen, G. Case, L. Schrader.
Front: M. Hoy, S. Bath, C. Tarngar.”
“LAST THROW. – Ingalba had one last desperate crack at Walcha-New England
to lift the Romano Challenge Cup – and failed. Ingalba Back Row: W. Davies. M.
McHattan, A. Brazel, J. Kermode, D. Jamieson, H. Brazel. Front Row: T. Aisbett, N.
Brazel, S. Jamieson, Sam Brazel, Stan Brazel.”
From the Northern Daily Leader.
“Walcha Colts, who won the Yalgoo Shield (presented by Mr F.W. Nivison) from
Walcha New England, by an innings and six runs. Six teams competed in all.
Back row: H. Roper, W. Castle, D. Donnelly, A. Kitcher, W. Fuller, J. Fletcher.
Front row: A. Fowler, F. Roper, W. Roper, D. Fletcher, C. Roper.”
Source unknown.
“THEY TAKE OFF THEIR BOOTS TO BAT
62
Walcha aboriginals’ cricket team, which is performing well in the Walcha competition.
Most of them take off their boots when they go in to bat. Back row, left to right:
B. Foote, J. Edwards, D. Archibald, T. Rudder, S. Morris, R. Morris; front row: F.
Barber, C. Bugg, Joe Morris, C. Edwards and A. Rudder.”
“THEY’RE NICE, AND THEY CAN PLAY. – Walcha ladies’ cricket team,
undefeated this season. L to R. – Back Row: P. Riley, J. Case, D. Elliott, J. Partridge,
E. Harrison, M. Hayes, J. McGuffog, Mrs. Lofberg. Front Row: P. Hoad, S. Sweeney,
K. Davidson, A. Ward, E. Hoad.”
GOT GRIPU CUP. – Winterbourne Waddies who copped the Gripu Cup from
Walcha Colts:- Back Row: A. Borthwick, J. Crossman, S. Nivison, C. Macdonald, N.
Turton, G. Gill. Front Row: A. Gill, J. Gill. E. Fenwicke, E .Coates, P. Ewing.”
“COLTS WHO CANTER WELL IN WALCHA COMP.- With a sprinkling of
schoolboys among ’em, Walcha Colts are showing the way to the ‘big boys’ in Walcha
District Comp. Here they are:- Back Row (left to right): Herbert Roper, D. Donnelly,
A. Flower, E. O’Brien, A Margery, W. Castle. Front Row: F. Roper, D. Fletcher, W.
Roper, F. West, W. Weir.”
“WENT TO WALCHA AND WON.
Combined Armidale, who gained victory over Walcha District at Walcha.
L. to R.:- Back Row: E. Cooper, I. Johnstone, A. McShane, F. L. Taylor, R. Cooper,. H.
Cashman. Front Row: C. W . Taylor, W. Boler, A. Cattell, W. Hanlan, J. Johnston.
WALCHA.- L. to R. – Back Row: Clive Roper, S. Nivison, C. Macdonald, B.
Borthwick, H. Brazel, A. Borthwick. Front Row: H. Gardner, A. Chandler, E. Coates,
J. Fletcher, W. Fuller. Umpires T. Greive and G. Bowring.”
Some of those blokes in the Armidale team were important for Walcha
cricket. Interestingly enough too, their names have lived on from 1860s. Must be
a cricket thing. The Taylors were prominent in Tablelands cricket and played with
and against and fostered some of Walcha’s finest players.
“WILL WOOLBROOK WIN AGAIN?
WOOLBROOK TEAM, winners of the “ News” Cup last season, are having another
crack. Left to Right.- Back Row: A. Robson, K. Davidson, R. Henry, A. Kitcher, J.
Reed, F. Gardner. Front Row: (sitting): D. Henry, A. Morgan, S. Gardner, A. Greive,
C. Gardner.”
“WHERE WILL WALCHA BE WHEN NUMBERS GO UP?
ROUND SWAMP are going to be somewhere near the money in the Walcha District
Comp. Here they are, left to right:- Back Row: M. Watts, J. Ireland jun., H. Phillips,
F. Hoy, B. Borthwick, J. Ireland sen.
Front Row: D. Ireland, H. Hoy, H. Hayes, A. McGuffog, L. Coughlin.”
“WALCHA NEW ENGLAND, prominent in the Walcha District Comp. left to
right: - Back Row: J. Hogno, R. Lown, C. McNeill, P. Roper, W. Levingston, C. Case.
Front Row: N. Case, G. Case, A. Chandler, J. Riley, M. Heffernan.”
63
“New England (Walcha) cricket team which won the Gripu Cup competition
recently: Back row (left to right); J. Hogno, J. Riley, J. Young, A. Leedham
(president), T. Leedham, C. McNeill, W. Levingston. Front row; M. Heffernan, R.
Mullins, C. Goman, G. Conn, C. Havilah.
(The same picture used earlier has N. Livingston, not W. Levingston, and C.
Gorman not C. Goman.)
TOO GOOD FOR TAMWORTH - Walcha’s senior cricket side snapped after
downing Tamworth in a keen tussle. Back row (left to right): H. Roper, M. Heffernan,
C. Roper, G. Brazel, T. Leedham, C. McNeill, K. Mullins. Front: P. Ewing, E. Coates,
S. Nivison (capt), A. Chandler.”
“Walcha District cricket team, which defeated Tamworth by six runs in an exciting
match at Walcha: Back row (left to right): H. Roper, R. Mullins, C. Roper, S. Brazel.
T. Leedham, C. McNeill, M. Heffernan. Front row: P. Ewing, E. Coates, S. Nivison
(capt.), A. Chandler.”
A Combined Country side actually played the touring South Africans in 1931
at Newcastle, but the finances of the NSW Cricket Association would not permit
the holding of the usual Country Week carnival in the same year. Perhaps the
Depression was to blame for the Country associations not being able to assist in
the finance. Country Week was up and running again for the 1932-33 season, but
the carnival was moved from Sydney and the Hunter Valley (including Newcastle),
Southern, North Coast and Far North (with Walcha players I’m sure) played a
series of matches in Newcastle from which a team was chosen. That team played a
side selected from matches at Orange, Goulburn and Bathurst including West, FarWest, South and Riverina for the right to play the State Colts. The visiting English
team played Northern Districts at Newcastle. The NSWCA Report says throughout
the season privately organised teams visited country centres. Perhaps this gave
rise to the likes of Cliff Wheaton and the Noonan tours for bush cricketers. The
NSWCA Report for 1932-33 also says the association was able to make grants to
country associations towards the cost of the construction of turf wickets and it
was pleased to report there were about 55 turf wickets in country towns outside
of Newcastle. In 1933-34 the Country Week carnival was played at Maitland and
then a Combined Country team played Metropolitan in Sydney. The New England
Cricket Association received a grant towards the construction of a turf wicket. For
the 1934-35 season the Country Week Carnival was played in Newcastle between
Christmas and New Year. The State Colts played at Armidale. Club and private
tours to the bush continued apace and helped improve the standard, as did more
turf wicket, but it would be 40 years before Walcha would get its first. Perhaps the
antbed at The Park came about because of these grants from the NSWCA.
Walcha was providing a healthy dose of representative cricketers. Colin
Clowes from NSW Cricket sent me many scoreboards from Country Week,
especially from the early 1920s, to see if I could match any names. The towns
that the players came from were not provided in the team lists. A check in the old
papers uncovered some interesting information.
64
The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 26, December 1933.
COUNTRY- WEEK CRICKET.
MATCHES AT MAITLAND.
WEST MAITLAND. Tuesday
SINGLETON V FAR NORTH
Singleton - First Innings: C Ernst b A Croft 18; K Forrester c Flanagan b Leedham
5; B McDonald c Flanagan b Roper 13; C Cameron b A Croft 0; L Dagg not out 45; R
Doohan b Brady 8; C Taylor b Lennan 0; G Geary c Lennan b Leedham 0; A Reynolds
lbw b Leedham 1; G Bates c Fordham b Leedham 0; A Ekert st Carter b A Croft l8;
sundries 11 Total 120
Bowling: J Lennan one for 21; R Brady one for 31; T Leedham four for l8; W Fordham
none for 10; A Croft three for 11; C Roper one for 7; R Cray none for 11.
Far North - First Innings: R Gray b Bates l8; R Handebo lbw b Dagg 11; S Flanagan
c Taylor b Ekert 19; R Stewart c and b McDonnell 20; A Croft c Cameron b McDonnell 52; on M Carter b Cameron 0; C Roper b McDonnell 2; J Lennan b Cameron 2;
V Fordham b McDonnell 11; T Leedham Ibw b McDonnell 19; P Brady not out 5;
sundries 7; Total 166
Bowling: C Cameron two for 41; P Bates one for 22; L Dagg one for 12; A Ekert one
for 34; C Taylor none for 7; McDonnell five for 48.
Singleton - Second Innings: C Ernst not out 28; K Forrester st Flanagan b Stewart 3;
L Dagg c Roper b Stewart 7; B McDonald c Brady b Leedham 28; P Bates c Flanagan
b Leedham 7; P Doohan not out 5; sundries 16; Four wickets for 94.
Bowling: Stewart two for 13, Leedham two for 32;
The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, December 11, 1934.
COUNTRY WEEK CARNIVAL
WEST MAITLAND, Monday.
The secretary of the Hunter Valley Cricket Council was advised today that the Far
North Coast would not be represented in the Country Week Cricket Carnival, to take
place in Newcastle starting on December 26. The secretary of the group advised that
it was impossible to get a team. The following nine districts have entered teams –
Wyong, Newcastle, Hunter River, Cessnock, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Upper Hunter,
Lower North Coast and Far North. All except the last two are affiliated with the
Hunter Valley Cricket Council.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday, December 28, 1934.
COUNTRY WEEK CARNIVAL.
NEWCASTLE, Thursday.
The second round in the northern country week cricket carnival, played here to-day, left
Newcastle and Far North the only undefeated teams. Further rounds in the competition,
in which 10 teams are competing will be played tomorrow and on Saturday. All of the
10 games played yesterday and today have been won on the first innings.
HUNTER RIVER V FAR NORTH
At Newcastle Showground Far North winning on the first innings by 27 runs
Far North - First Innings: R Stewart c and b Mcpherson 34; J Darcy b Hinman 16; A
Cohen c Hinman b Denny 19; R Grey lbw b Denny 20; A Croft c Denny b Hinman 11;
L Campbell b R McMillan 16; J Rowland c Hatcher b Hinman 1; R Rowland b Hinman
10, R Croft c Coffey b Mcpherson 7; J Lennon b Mcpherson 11; T Leedham not out 0;
Sundries l8; Total 163
Bowling: F Coffey none for 25; Hatcher none for l8; Mcpherson three for 27; Hinman
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four for 34; McMillan one for 14; Denny two for 27.
Hunter River - First Innings: R Turnbull b Leedham 57; M Wann b Lennan 0; D Denny
c Campbell b Rowland 27; L Mcpherson c Rowland b J Rowland 15; R MacMillen lbw
b S(?) Croft 15; F Coffey b A Croft 0; J Hartigan c R Croft b R Rowland 0; B Denny c
Stewart b Leedham 8; F Coffey b Leedham 4; M Hinman c R Croft b R Rowland 1; A
Hatcher not out 0; Sundries 9; Total 136
Bowling: Lennan one for 16; Leedham three for 24; R Rowland three for 19; Campbell
none for 33; J Rowland one for 16; A Croft two for 19. Far North - Second Innings:
A L Cohen not out 13; L Campbell c E Coffey b F Coffey 6; T Leedham c F Coffey b
Hinman 15; R Croft not out 10; Sundries 8; Two wickets for 52.
Bowling: F Coffey one for 7; Hatcher none for 9; MacMillan none for 4; Hinman one
for 9; Hartigan none for 0; Turnbull none for 0.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, December 29,1934.
COUNTRY. WEEK
THE THIRD ROUND.
NEWCASTLE, Friday. Newcastle placed itself in an almost impregnable position in
the Northern Country Week cricket carnival today by defeating Far North the only
other previously unbeaten team. Far North batted. There was an early collapse and R
Rowland came to the rescue of his side with a fine fighting innings of 47. Far North’s
total was 138 and H Hodges took six wickets for 62. The form of the majority of
the Newcastle batsmen was not particularly convincing but a sound 83 by R Beattie
allowed the home team to reach 210.
NEWCASTLE V FAR NORTH
Played at Newcastle Sports Ground Newcastle winning on the first innings by 72
runs.
Far North -First Innings: C Stewart b H Hodges 6; J Darcy b H Hodges 6; A L Cohen
lbw b H Hodges 0; R Gray lbw b L Hodges 0; A Croft lbw b L Hodges 2; I Campbell
b H Hodges 12; J Rowland c Johnson b L Hodges 22; R Rowland c Lee b Sullivan 47;
R Croft c L Hodges b H Hodges 4; J Lennan b H Hodges 13; T Leedham not out 7;
Sundries 17; Total 136
Bowling: H Hodges six for 62; L Hodges three for 35; Lee none for 21; Sullivan one
for 3.
Newcastle - First Innings: W Pratten lbw Campbell 8; R Beattie b Lennan 83; R Long
b Campbell 13; J Wingrove c Cohen b J Rowland 13; P Lee c R Rowland b Campbell
12; J Sullivan c Stewart b Leedham 12; K Fitts lbw b R Rowland 23; H Hodges st
Cohen b Campbell 11; G Gillespie c Cohen b Campbell 2; L Hodges not out 6; H
Johnson st Cohen b Campbell 2; Sundries 15; Total 210
Bowling: Lennan one for 29; R Rowland one for 21; Leedham one for 41; Campbell six
for 90; A Croft none for 6; J Rowland one for 18.
Far North - Second Innings: R Gray lbw b Lee 10; R Stewart b Johnson 7; J Darcy not
out 30; J Rowland c Long b Johnson 10; L Campbell b Johnson 12; R Rowland not out
3; Sundries 8; Four wickets for 80.
Bowling: Sullivan none for 2; L Hodges none for 6; Johnson three for 32; Lee one for
32.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 31 December 1934.
COUNTRY WEEK: NEWCASTLE WINS SHIELD.
NEWCASTLE. Sunday.
Newcastle won the John Bull Shield at the northern Country Week cricket carnival
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which was completed here yesterday after four days play amongst 10 teams drawn
from all over the north. The home eleven won all its matches on the first innings. Far
North with one defeat was second in the points table and Cessnock was third.
Far North scored the only outright win recorded in all the 20 matches of the carnival
when it trounced North West by an innings and 67 runs. J. Rowland 69, F Hargreaves
47 not out and R Grey 38 were the chief contributors to the Far North total of 248.
The North West batsmen could only total 90 and 82. Campbell took six for 55 in the
first innings and Leedham four for 20 in the second.
FAR NORTH v NORTH WEST
At New Lambton Far North winning by an innings and 67 runs.
Far North -First Innings R Stewart c Boland b Newton 2; R Grey c Logan b Austin
38; J D’Arcy b Boland 15; R Rowland b Newton 16; J Rowland b Moses 69; L Campbell
b Austin 11; A Croft c Wallace b Newton 7; R Croft c Adams b Austin 7; F Hargreaves
not out 47; J Lennan lbw b Austin; 0 T Leedham st Logan b Eather 13; Sundries 23;
Total 246
Bowling: Newton three for 75; Boland one for 29; Evans none for 14; Moses one for 35;
McCumstie none for 19; Austin four for 46; Eather one for 7
North West - First innings: D Logan lbw b Lennan 3; V Moses c R Croft b R Rowland
10; W McCumstie run out 17; H Eather c Stewart b Campbell 3; G Austin b J Rowland
17; R Adams c Grey b Campbell 18; H Wallace c R Rowland b Campbell 2; J Boland c
Grey b Campbell 17; J Evans b Campbell 1; G McKenzie lbw b Turnbull 2; A Newton
not out 0; Sundries 9; Total 99
Bowling: Lennan one for 6; R Rowland one for 15; Campbell six for 55; Leedham none
for 11; J Rowland one for 3.
North West - Second Innings: V Moses b Leedham 4; D Logan c R Croft b Leedham
4; W McCumstie b Lennan 1; G Austin c D’Arcy b Lennan 2; H Eather b Leedham 7;
T Boland c Campbell b Leedham 21; R Adams lbw b Campbell 3; H Wallace c Stewart
b Campbell 0; G McKenzie run out 9; J Evans c J Rowland b A Croft (8) A Newton not
out 7; Sundries 16; Total 82.
Bowling Leedham four for 20, Lennan two for 17; Campbell two for 21; A Croft one
for 8.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, January 2,1934.
COUNTRY CARNIVAL.
WEST MAITLAND. Monday.
The difference in the average of 31.59 by Newcastle compared with Far North won
the John Bull Shield and premiership of Hunter Valley Cricket Council’s area for
Newcastle for the season. Newcastle and Far North finished level with 26 points at
the completion of the cricket carnival week on Saturday. The secretary of the council
Mr J N Lintott stated today that the averages were – Newcastle 21 wickets for 1136
runs, average 54.9 against 53 wickets for 749 runs, average 14.13 net overage 39.96.
Far North 44 wickets for 1036 runs, average 23.54 against 51 wickets for 744 runs,
average 15.17 net average 8.37.
T. Leedham (Far North) and C. O’Brien (Newcastle) with 22 wickets each tied for
bowling honours. O’Brien bowled on five occasions taking 22 for 216, an average
of 9.8, while Leedham bowled on six occasions having 229 runs scored off him, an
average of 10.4 per wicket. The greatest aggregate of runs during the carnival was by
J Johnson (Newcastle) who batted four times for 356 runs, an average of 89. On three
occasions he reached the century. His team-mate R Robinson was the next highest,
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his total for four innings being 255. On two occasions he was not out and his average
of 127.5 was the highest for the week.
‘‘The personnel of the Newcastle team in respect to seasoned and former Interstate
players really defeated the object of the carnival, which is chiefly to bring out the
promising talent of young players before the eyes of the parent body, particularly the
New South Wales selectors,’’ said a well-known cricket supporter this morning, in
commenting upon the result.
TAMWORTH TRIAL GAME
TAMWORTH, Monday
Teams representing North and South players coming from Tamworth, Armidale,
Walcha, Gunnedah, Inverell, Quirindi and Spring Ridge met in a trial match at
Tamworth on Saturday to assist the selectors to choose a team to defend the John Bull
Shield at the Country Week carnival at the end of the month.
North, first innings 113 (J Darcy 42, A Croft 17, J Rowland 2-4, R Rowland 1-18, J
Bourke 1-19, Lawrence 2-16 Hargreaves 1-23 Fordham 2-18). Second innings 3 for
33 (R Croft retired 13, Wallace 1-3 Lawrence 1-9 Bourke 1-5). South, first innings
96 (R Rowland 14, Stewart 14, Lawrence 13, Lennan 3-15, D Fletcher 4-12). Second
innings 8 for 145 (J Rowland retired 32, Burke not out 32, Hargreaves retired 24, A
Croft 3-25).
The selectors announced the following team for Country Week: R Grey (captain)
(Armidale), T Leedham (Inverell), L Campbell (Inverell), J Lennan (Gunnedah),
R Stewart (Tamworth), R E Rowland (Tamworth), R Cohen (Tamworth), R Croft
(Walcha), A Croft (Armidale), J Rowland (Tamworth), F Hargreaves (Gunnedah)
Reserves: R Lawrence (Spring Ridge), C Carey (Armidale)
T Leedham from Inverell may be Walcha’s Tom Leedham. The official
North and North-West photo from 1946 has Jim Fletcher from Gunnedah. Note
the ‘‘defend the John Bull Shield’’ and that Dick Croft represents Walcha while
Archer Croft represents Armidale. And is D Fletcher our own Don? Archer Croft
was back in the Walcha comp in 1936 when reports of his “double hat trick” went
around Australia. This was in Adelaide’s The Advertiser on Friday, February 21,
1936, at the bottom of a report on how well Jack Fingleton was batting on the tour
of South Africa.
“FROM Walcha, New South Wales, comes the story of a bowling performance that
must be unique in the history of cricket. A Croft, a bowler playing for Warrigal against
Citizens in the A grade competition, performed the ‘‘double hat-trick.’’ He dismissed
the same three batsmen with successive balls in each innings. The victims, who were
all A grade players, were A. New, F. Schrader and R. Town.”
The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday, December 13, 1935.
FAR NORTH TEAM TAMWORTH, Thursday.
An unofficial trial match was held to select the Far North team for the Country Week
cricket competition. The match was between northern and southern teams (embracing
players from Armidale, Walcha, Warialda, Bingara, Manilla, Quirindi Quipolly,
Spring Ridge). South, 167 (Lawrence 38, O’Dea 37, Cowes 21, Hagan two for 32,
McAlpine two for 29, A Croft one for 12, R Gray four for 15; v North 222 (Gray
retired 54, McAlpine retired 28, A Croft retired 40, Roberts 29, Mansfield three for
33). At the conclusion of play the following team was selected: R Gray (Armidale),
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R Cohen (Tamworth), J Rowland (Tamworth), R Stewart (Tamworth), E McAlpine
(Armidale), A Croft (Walcha) W Bull (Bingara), G Mansfield (Warialda), G Lawrence
(Spring Ridge), K Todd (Armidale), L Ellem (Armidale), C Roper (Walcha) E Young
(Tamworth) manager.
The use of the initial A before Croft in the short scores suggests there was
more than one Croft in the North side, possibly Dick. The youthful C Roper is
included on either potential or past performances or both. Not only were Walcha’s
men cricketers performing to a high standard.
The Canberra Times of Friday, February 8, 1935 reported.
WOMEN’S CRICKET RECORD
WALCHA, Thursday.
Playing in the Women’s cricket match against Bendemeer, Miss Joan McGuffog, of
Walcha, took 10 wickets for 7 runs in the 1st innings, and dismissed 9 in the second
innings.
And on the subject of unusual performances, Colts’ Jim Fletcher clean bowled
a New Norfolk batsman on an invitation tour in Tasmania and the bail sailed over
the fence and landed in the main street that ran alongside the ground. It was preWar and Jim was playing for Noonan’s touring team. Jim McMillan (father of
Lindsay of Linmac Engineering fame) performed the same feat at the Walcha
Showground in the World War I era.
The winners of the Yalgoo Shield for minor premiers gives a great indication
of the “spread” of cricket before the War: 1927 Winterbourne, 1928 Winterbourne,
1929 Ingleba, 1930 Orandumbie, 1931 Ingleba, 1932 Colts, 1933 New England,
1934 Colts, 1935 Colts, 1936 Colts, 1937 Colts, 1938 Round Swamp, 1939 Colts,
1940 New England, 1941 Apsley.
A wonderful photo was published in the Northern Daily Leader in 2010 of
the Tamworth Country Week team taken at the SCG in 1937. Included are R.M.
Croft (vice-captain and listed as from Uralla) an N.N. (Jim) Fletcher from Walcha.
C. Ison from Tamworth may be known to some and also listed are players from
Werris Creek, Goonoo Goonoo, and Armidale. That’s a side drawing from a large
and strong cricket area.
The 1937-38 McRae Cup B Grade Final was well-reported:
“Great interest was taken in the first day’s play of the Walcha Cricket Assoc B grade
final between Lonsdale Bridge [winners of the Eastern Zone] and Orandumbie
[winners of the western zone], which took place on The Park last Sunday.
“From a spectator’s point of view these boys certainly served up entertainment in
large plate fulls, and for fast scoring we have to hand them the bun. Those who missed
the opening chapters are sure of another treat next Sunday, when it is expected that a
decision will be reached late in the afternoon.
“Unfortunately, rain set in early in the afternoon, and when afternoon tea was taken,
after the players had a good soaking in the field, it was decided to abandon the play
for the day.
“The scoring rate was terrific.
“Lonsdale won the toss and decided to bat. Wickets commenced to topple and it
looked as if Lonsdale were going under for a small score. Thoughts in that direction,
69
however, were soon diverted to another channel, for sturdily built Tom White began to
make his presence felt. An early life gave him renewed energy and he gave a delightful
exhibition of all round the wicket strokes, without giving the fieldsman any chance
whatever, to remain unconquered for 106.
“White scored his century before lunch in 80 minutes, going in second wicket
down. He hit 8 boundaries & one sixer. Too much credit cannot be given S. and E.
Hoy with 16 and 20 respectively, for the big part they played in the match. Young Eric
Roper was the most successful bowler for Orandumbie, and he performed gallantly to
capture 6 for 49.
“Orandumbie too, attacked the bowling, scoring at a whirlwind rate. When stumps
were drawn at afternoon tea adjournment they had 205 on the board for 8 wickets,
scored in approx 120 minutes. Top score went to Reg Kitcher with a stylish 57. Ken
Kitcher did not even bother to pad up. He went in & hit four 4’s and two sixers, two 2’s
and two singles and was out for a rapidly compiled 34. C. Green made a solid stand for
25 and Eric Roper laid on the wood for a meritorious 37.
“The advantage at present lies with Orandumbie and what will happen next Sunday
is in the lap of the gods. In any case, there’s sure to be heaps of interest for all.”
The following week:
“McRAE CUP
“Lonsdale Bridge Winners
“How often has one heard the saying ‘you never know Cricket is a funny game
– anything may happen. This was never more exemplified than on Sunday last at
the Park, where the final of the B Grade premiership for the McRae Cup between
Lonsdale Bridge & Orandumbie was concluded, for, after appearing certain winners
Orandumbie were eventually defeated in a most thrilling finish by 16 runs.
“The winners deserved the utmost praise for the manner they stuck to what appeared
a hopeless task, and the same applies to Orandumbie for the manner in which they
fought to the bitter end.
“At the conclusion of the previous Sunday’s play the scores read Lonsdale Bridge 1st
innings 167; Orandumbie 8 for 205. Upon resumption on Sunday, Orandumbie took
the scores along to 223 before the last wicket fell, thus giving them a lead of 56 on the
first innings. Lonsdale, however, were not beaten yet, and their openers, D. Hoy and
N. Johansson, went in apparently with the idea of breaking down the bowling. This
they accomplished to a certain degree, and after restrained batting the first wicket
fell at 17.
“T White filled the vacancy and after his excellent first innings knock it was expected
he would be among the runs. He did not disappoint and scored at a good rate.
“When the score showed 53 his partner D. Hoy was dismissed for a steadily obtained
20. H. Hoy came and went quickly, but D. Dunn who followed, together with White,
carried the score along to 93 before the latter was out in a rather unlucky manner for
42, being dismissed while attempting to chop a ball which ricocheted back on to his
wicket. Of the remaining batsmen, D. Hoy entered double figures with 10.
“E. Roper bowled well for Orandumbie, finishing with 5 for 27. Good work by this
lad who, in a few years will undoubtedly cause much concern to local batsmen.
“Lonsdale’s innings totalled 123, thus leaving Orandumbie needing but 68 for
victory, and they appeared certain winners. But they collapsed, due to some excellent
bowling by N Johannson – 7 for 28 – and good fielding by their team.
“Orandumbie were all out for 51, leaving Lonsdale winners by 16 runs.
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Lonsdale Bridge 1st innings
W Hoy b E Roper
0
N Johansson c P Roper b K Kitcher 5
T White not out
106
HT Hoy b E Roper
0
D Dunn run out
2
S Hoy b E Roper
16
E Hoy b T Lonergan
20
DH Hoy b T Lonergan
2
R Hoy b E Roper
8
P Dunn c P Roper b E Roper
0
A Hoy b E Roper
0
Sundries
8
Total
167
Bowling K Kitcher1/51, E Roper 6/49, T
Lonergan 2/59
Orandumbie 1st Innings
R Kitcher c DH Hoy b R Hoy
T Roper b HT Hoy
C Wall b HT Hoy
T Lonergan run out
P Roper b E Hoy
K Kitcher b N Johansson
E Roper c P Dunn b HT Hoy
C Green b N Johansson
D Schrader not out
J Green not out
Sundries
Total 8 wickets for
57
10
8
18
1
34
37
25
5
4
13
202
“One catch worthy of special mention during this innings was brought off by H.
Hoy when he dismissed K Kitcher. The ball was hit hard and low and Hoy brought off
a spectacular catch on the edge of the boundary near the ground. It was a gem. Little
can be said of Orandumbie’s innings.”
What remains of the board is published.
A
s the men of the district prepared for the Second World War cricket continued
at a great standard. In 1938 Clive Roper and Bobby Case put on 280 at The
Park, I think for the second wicket, which may still be a record. Reg King still
retains the honour of the highest individual score with his 214 not out in 193940, the same season in which Bob Case averaged 87.25. The competition was
suspended until 1946.
Having begun at least in 1861, and probably beforehand, cricket in Walcha
had witnessed the opening up of a new agricultural lands, mini gold rushes,
the establishment of towns and villages, the arrival of the railway and motor
transport, Federation and the diversification of industry, especially timber’s rise to
prominence. Cricket in Walcha had survived booms and busts, droughts, a World
War and the Depression, and the associated dislocation of people involved with all
those events, to be in a very strong position by the mid-1930s. It boasted a twotiered comp and some sensational talent.
But tragedy was just around the corner. Walcha cricket would reach 1941, 80
not out, but “the tents, booths, carriages and people” the Wandering Reporter
witnessed in 1866 would not be for a festive occasion such as a cricket game
against Salisbury. They’d be related to a bigger battle, against non-cricket playing
Germany and Japan, that would impact on a sport enjoyed by all.
The “elite, youth and beauty” of the people of Walcha district would be
transformed like no other time in their history.
71
Former RSL Club secretary-manager Frank Brazel kept a wonderful
collection of old newspaper clippings, unfortunately without dates. But
the correspondents from the various papers have such great writing styles
it’s worth reprinting their reports for the flavour of cricket in Walcha. The
reports are timeless, and the names are worth remembering. I’m guessing
they’re from the early 1930s, the clues being the Walcha News fire and
references to Clive Roper’s age.
72
73
74
TOWN AND COUNTRY: A Woolbrook team, above, undated and unnamed, but probably from the 1920s judging
by the clothing and hats. A strong Walcha team, below, from the early to mid-1930s. The names from left to
right are (standing) J. Hogno, J. Riley, J. Young, Albert Leedham, Tom Leedham, C. McNeill, W. Levingston, then
(sitting) M. Heffernan, R. Mullins, C. Goman, G. Conn, and C. Havilah. Albert Leedham was mine host of the
Royal Hotel in Fitzroy Street when it burnt to the ground in August, 1938 and he also built the New Royal Hotel on
the same site. Albert was 58 when he died in 1950 and his brother Tom was 65 when he died in 1937.
Photos and information courtesy of Bob and Pam Walsh and the Walcha District Historical Society.
75
When The War Is Over
(1946-1973)
Consolidating the innings
and into three figures . . .
“It was a terrible thing. It shot.”
Herb Laurie
C
RICKET in Walcha bounced back after World War II like a Fred Roper lifter.
It had more going for it than a Roy Chandler wrong ’un. Fred knew how to
extract lift. In the local comp he was twice called for six wides for bouncing the
ball out of the ground, once on The Park and once at Yarrowitch. At Round Swamp
one day he “dropped” one of the local batsman with a wicked delivery after what
he considered was some very ordinary umpiring. But he was more than a local
cricketer and playing under the backfoot or “drag” no-ball rule he was selected for
Country Week before and after the War and is one of the few Walcha players to
have played on the Sydney Cricket Ground. The famous oval with its picturesque
stands must have provided some sort of contrast for him because in the local
competition he also once hit a ball down a rabbit burrow. Conjecture raged for
years over how many he should have run. As with most Walcha cricketers he had
a long career, playing into his 50s. He was good enough to win bowling averages
in 1933-34 and again in 1951 and was still featuring prominently in the late 1950s.
Having terrorised all and sundry before the War with the ridiculously talented
Colts (under-21 then under-23), Fred returned from the conflict and in 1946 was
back marking out his long run, ready to take up the battle, joining arms with
his fellow returned men and the new brigade. In a decade the Walcha district
side would be regarded as the strongest in NSW, and would produce Country
representatives, including a captain, and Emus.
The big crowds that had watched before the War were celebrating a way of
life. The post-War Sunday cricket matches restored that way of life so rudely
interrupted by Hitler and Hirohito. In rebuilding cricket, community spirit was
rebuilt too and then one fed off the other. It didn’t hurt that the Korean War was
opening up markets or that in the middle of the decade Australia hosted the
Olympic Games. The district rallied quickly to resume “normal transmission”
and it’s a tribute to the pre-War generation. All politics is local and so is history.
The post-War Sunday cricket matches showed off bush life. It was rural Australia
doing what rural Australians do, Walcha district’s way of telling the world “this
is how we live, how we behave”, Australian egalitarianism writ large. During
76
the week women bleached the creams and baked in preparation for the afternoon
teas at what was the social event of Sunday afternoon cricket. Along with the
kids, the women were often scorers and circuit breakers for situations where men
might take their opprobrium over dodgy lbw decisions a bit too far. Sunday cricket
around Walcha cut across religious and social groupings, age, creed and colour.
There had been a very successful Aboriginal team before the War. There wasn’t
after, but Aboriginal families and players made, and continue to make, a huge
contribution to Walcha cricket. Some of the cross-cultural and cross-religious
marriages were as amazing as the cricketers they produced. No doubt many
friendships and relationships were forged at those matches, on and off what were
crude “greenswards” that constituted cricket fields around the district.
Having been through the Depression and the Second World War, the generation
that saved the world also resurrected Walcha cricket and gave it backbone. It
teamed with flair and brilliance provided by blokes too young to have served. Peter
Fenwicke, among others, came home from boarding school joining Colts and Stiers
running free. Is that Fletcher Christian or christian Fletchers? The Lyons roared at
Riamukka where a couple of Holsteins and Lauries turned up to show how hard
they’d been practising. All the little district teams with the strong family allegiances
and connections rallied to resurrect “their” teams and a look through scorebooks
from the period is as instructive in local history as anything else that might be
studied for that purpose. A Hoy there? Of course. Does your Swamp boat require
a Chandler? More Birds flocked to that Round Swamp. She’ll be Wright, they
said at Nowendoc, but Wayte a minute, there’s a Hicks-up, here are the Margerys.
Brazels, Bowdens, Jamiesons and Walls sought solace at Ingalba/Ingleba and Glen
Morrison; Moore remnants of Hoy polloi were on offer at Lonsdale Bridge. It was
OK with the O’Keefes and the Hoares were sure they’d profit with a Moffitt at
Yarrowitch. They didn’t have a Carey in the world. Woolbrook play it hard? “Good
Golledge, mercy, mercy Mr Percy.” You couldn’t avoid a Boyd at Walcha Road.
“Great Scott, Jimmy, where did yae get those Natty braces and boots?” Where are
the Henrys and Caslicks?” they asked. And it was Wall to wall at Commercial as
they Ropered in the townies.
The new brigade and the returned men would create their own dynamic in
Walcha, almost the reverse of what happened at national level. Bradman hadn’t
played in the Victory Tests when international cricket in England recommenced
in 1945. The Australian Imperial Force and the RAAF teams merged to form the
Australian Services cricket team under the leadership of Warrant Officer Lindsay
Hassett. Bradman might have had some sentiment for what England was enduring
when he took the official Australian side there in 1948, The Invincibles, but he’d
never served. All his talk of pressure cricket and “grinding them into the dirt” was
born of pre-War battles, as far back as Bodyline in 1933 and the question mark over
his sportsmanship in the 1947 series in Australia. It took flamboyant all-rounder
and War hero Keith Miller to remind the Don “pressure is a Messerschmitt up
your arse, playing cricket is not”.
The Walcha district wasn’t suffering like England, in fact, things started
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to boom rather quickly, but it was the returned men and their peers who took a
Bradmanian approach to keep Millerian new boys in check. It worked a treat.
Andy and Jim Fletcher returned from service and helped restore Walcha cricket
and society to pre-War normality. The great cut bowler Jim went straight back into
the North and North-West team in 1946. Andy knew the value of cricket, even in
wartime, because matches were staged in the camps and in the theatres of conflict,
quite famously in Tobruk. Herbie Laurie received his start as a teenager finishing
school at Armidale during the conflict, Alick Bird surprised a few blokes with his
ability while stationed in Queensland, and it’s said Roy Chandler refined his wrist
spin in the islands. These blokes were keen to play in the local comp again and it’s
no wonder after their experiences they played it hard. And they taught others to
play it hard too.
Andy Fletcher became the “old warhorse” of
Walcha cricket and he makes references to games in his
fascinating war diary NX 20365, so well compiled by
his family. Following are some extracts, and as you’ll
discover, it is recommended reading for anyone interested
in cricket, Walcha, military history or life itself. Some of
the entries I’ve extracted are not directly related to cricket,
but I include them to provide a feel for what he was going
through and his role in, and thoughts on, world-changing
events. They provide an insight into why he was such a
significant figure in post-War Walcha cricket. Paraphrasing
the chapter “The Greatest Change”, page 5.
I consider that my generation has seen the greatest changing scene that has occurred
in history.
I was born April 7,1917, one of a family of six, five boys and one girl. Going to school
at Summervale and writing on a slate, wearing button-up boots, without videos,
television, computers with memory banks etc. From riding in a sulky and cart to
motor car and jet planes and rockets to the moon. I have been in 17 different types
of aeroplanes, have travelled in 14 different ships, not including landing craft, I have
visited many countries, climbed the great pyramid of Giza, been under fire led a
platoon and company of infantry in action. Lived through the depression of the early
’30s, I have a tape recording of that period at the Walcha Central School. Played
cricket for Walcha District for a period of 30 years, being captain for a time, ‘keeping’
mostly, I only made two centuries.
I left school when I was thirteen years of age just after my Father died in 1930. I
worked on Auchen Dhu until the war. Mostly bush work, rabbiting, sheep work etc.
Did a lot of camping out, played crib at nights, maddocking bushes and suckering. We
went out in the bush Sunday afternoons in a dray or sulky and later a utility, camped
till Saturday morning and came home, heated water in a kerosene bucket and had a
bath, whether we needed it or not. Usually played tennis on Saturday afternoons and
generally cricket on Sundays.
Cricket, then, is an established part of life.
So to page 13 and February 3, 1941.
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Met Jim Smith, first of the original to join up, he was hit by a grenade at Bardia, let
me know all about the other Walcha fellows, Elk’s killed but all the other fellows OK.
Met a young Cooper from Uralla back at A.G.H., he lost a leg at the same show, used
to play cricket with him.
To pages 22 and 23 and two of the entries for March 17.
Jim came back from M.D.S. - is OK now.
And later.
Jim is not in my platoon now. We did not know what to do. I would have rather had
him here, but some thought it would be better if I was not his boss, might not given
him tough job or something, he is the best NCO here.
Pages 32 and 33 and the entry for April 15.
Decided to go to Brigade to find out what is doing and to find out about Greg, he
was hit by a machine gun bullet in the head, killed instantly I believe. He was a great
fellow, as cool a man as I’ve ever met, a bit too game, I do not know who will lead our
show now.
Some of the fellows have been pinching stuff off the prisoners, wounded and dead,
pistols and so on, a lot have been going a bit far.
Saw the boys this morning, they are cut up a fair bit about Greg, met the old Brig. and
he was feeling it too. He said there was an attack developing on our right flank, so I
came back to the guns.
It was extra quiet last night and all the Jerries must have been licking their wounds.
We are completely cut off now, have heard Bardia has fallen again.
We have captured German anti-tank gun now. I went looking for ammo this afternoon,
saw quite a few dead Germans, poor cows.
The first killed men I have seen, bloody terrible when a fellow stops to think about
it all. Yesterday one of the English officers made a place of meeting with a German
officer (when he was wounded) in London after the war, he was only 20, he had been
in London.
We fully expect a terrific attack soon, have beat him once, but will be a tough go, there
are no Italians in the show at all.
Had a letter from Ted Brazel last night, and will write home tonight, but there is
nothing one can say. Have not seen Jim for a week, but he’s alright or I would have
heard.
Was a beer issue the day before yesterday, so we cleaned the last of it up tonight – was
it good!
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Early in Tobruk the enemy had a small high wing monoplane to observe our positions
it was a Feisler Storch, I believe Rommel himself used it quite often.
One morning I was just walking up to No 8 section (Doug Pearson) when the plane
flew in from the south straight towards Doug’s Post (29) not to be outdone Doug had a
go at him with the gun a 47-35mm Italian anti-tank gun that we had been issued with.
The plane was flying about 1000 feet up and 3-400 yards out when the solid armour
piercing shell went directly towards the plane and just as it was seemingly to hit it
veered under the plane and missed narrowly, why I do not know but the pilot certainly
got the fright of his life and veered off and not going properly. The plane used to come
over almost daily but would not come near our position again, why the others did not
ever have a go at him I do not know.
Field Marshall Rommel we are told used to fly himself in those planes and I often
wonder was it himself in those planes and I often wonder was it him that Doug had
fired on that day and if he had been shot down, just what would have been the changes
to the whole course of the war.
July 28.
Bought a sleeping bag off Pat Campbell for £2, should be handy in about another
month or so. Jock and I had lunch at brigade today and then Ian McMaster and I picked
the brigade anti-tank team to play the 107th Royal Horse artillery on Wednesday.
Have to go in again tomorrow. Heard a wireless today for the first time in 5 months.
Just 5 months today since we left Kilo 89 and a lot of water has flown under the bridge
since then – or should I say we have crossed a lot of dry gullies. Played the 107th
Royal Horse artillery cricket the day before yesterday had a win 51-115. I only scored
14 and was dropped three times at that. Jim scored 11, bowled 3-7. We played on the
Aerodrome near the ACCS and used Ack Ack shell cones to mark the boundary. One
of the funniest things I’ve ever seen happen in a cricket match when a fellow snicked
one of Jim’s through the slips and immediately ran – but the wrong way – he had gone
bout 20 yards before he realised his mistake.
Did not feel too hot today, it was hot and dusty – a cow of day – tried to write a letter
but gave it up as a bad job.
August 15.
Went to brigade yesterday to pick up a cricket team to play 2/15th today. Had lunch,
bully and pickles. Heard more about the show the night before on R7, 31 came out
uninjured, 29 killed, 60 wounded and 70 missing, so not so hot. The mortar barrage
of the huns was terrific, only 8 of our men reached the wire in front of the post. The
engineers did a great job I believe. Went forward and taped the start line and carried
the bangalow torpedoes forward to blow the wire. Had to go through a barrage and
one after another was blown over through the blast and were knocked out. When one
ad knocked out another would run forward and cart it another 10 or 20 yards until
he was knocked over. They blew the wire alright. Every officer was wounded and I
believe only 2 NCOs came back. All the men were dazed as they came back, hardly had
any idea of what happened. Reason there were so many missing is that they thought
they would come back till they would find the tape, but it was just blown to bits and in
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their dazed state they did not know where they were.
Next morning there was an undeclared truce to get the dead and the wounded out.
Even I believe Jerry lifted a lot of his mines to let out RAP trucks go out and collect
our men. When it was all over, he put the mines back and it was on again. Everyone
was really pleased at the fair go we received.
On the other flank we did capture both S6 and 7, the next night Jerry recaptured them
so we were back where we started.
The dive bombing attacks did no damage, but hit a daggo tank which was dug in as
a tank defence and it was no loss. There were about 20 planes in the raid. The last 2
nights have been unusual. He has come over dropping bombs without seeming to have
any target at all. Some of the bombs were incendiary but had nothing to burn. Quite a
deal of artillery again this morning.
We left for cricket at 9.30 and walked back about a mile and a half and went in a truck
to the aerodrome. It was too dusty to play so we went for a swim in the harbour and
came home. The dust is something awful. Could only see 10 yards at a time. Will go
tomorrow if it is not too dusty.
August 18.
A lot of artillery fire yesterday afternoon – nothing eventuated, a lot of mg fire last
night most lively we have had except for the night of the stunt. Was a bit of fun last
night – some of us were sitting in the wadi smoking. A fellow asked us who we were
and I told him. He ordered us to put our cigs out. I told him I thought it quite alright
as we were not in sight of the enemy and asked him what unit he belonged to – he was
only a colonel in the 2/48th battalion – Windeyer – so I think we put out our smokes
which seemed a bit silly as we were in a wadi which was about 20’ deep. Did not go in
for cricket today as it was too dusty. Had to walk out of the Salient about one and a half
miles to get back to a truck to go back and play cricket so it must be a fairly interesting
game to make you do things like that.
A man was killed here last night by Spandau Joe, so he is getting more accurate now
as the moon gets brighter. We were paid last night, but could not put on as much as
we put in for.
May 9.
Went down to company headquarters to read through the ‘intelligence’ summaries and
arranged to play cricket on Monday and again on Thursday. Brought the motor bike
out again although it is not going too well. There is supposed to be a few hurricanes
popping over the area although I have not seen any.
Germany seems to be doing better in Russia according to the news-sheet. Hitler is
rumoured to be going to resign to make way for the peace plans.
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May 10.
Heaviest shelling we have had for quite a while. Only about 2 dozen but right on top of
one of the infantry posts. Only wounded one man but no duds. They usually sent over
some – 5 out of 6 were duds yesterday.
The 2/48th take over from the 24th battalion tonight. They are a lot understrength,
only 150 men left after fighting started 1st May. Another air raid over Tobruk, did not
count the planes but about 20.
Played cricket again yesterday against 2/15th battalion. We scored 202 for 9 against
80 odd. While we were there the German artillery 210mm battery out near Bardia
road shelled Tobruk. 210mm has a range of 32,000 yards. Air raid this morning at
8.45 must have hit a petrol dump, a lot of explosions. The smoke rose about 1,000’
white petrol usually burns black. It was actually an Italian ammunition dump that
went up. The Italian ammo dump burned all day. Not much loss as they were using
very little ammo except 500 3.7 ack ack shells.
Jerry seems to be using more flares now since the stunt over a week ago.
We play 2/17th cricket on Thursday – not too dusty. If we beat them we are the
champions. We have beaten both the 107RHA and the 13th and 15th so stand a good
chance.
May 14.
Dusty – did not start cricket until 3 o’clock. We eventually decided to play and batted
first but could not do nothing right and only scored 54, the 2/17 easily passed that. We
eventually had them all out for 120. Jim scored 19 n.o. Ian McMaster 15 were the only
two to get any. I scored 2. Jim scored a couple of wickets and I got two, but they were
only having a hit. Came straight back for mail but not much luck.
CRICKET MATCH
Between 20 Inf Bde Hq. & 107 R.H.A.
To be played at the Tobruk cricket grounds.
1. Time of start
Play to commence at 1400 hrs 30 July 41
2. Hours of play
Play to be continuous, except by interference by air raids, until 1800 hrs, play will
NOT rpt NOT cease during shell fire.
3. Refreshments
All players to supply own beer. Rum issues, before & aftermatch is being arranged
by manager.
4. Dress
Shirts, shorts, long sock, sand shoes, (if available) hat, F, S, (or bareheaded), Iti helmets
or any other fancy headgear will NOT be worn. Umpires will wear white coat (if
available) and will carry loaded rifle with fixed bayonet. Tin hat will be used (on head
only) by wicketkeeper if desired.
5. Umpires
One umpire to be supplied by each side. Unbiased umpires preferred but these
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may be changed if things are going against the team concerned. Remarks to umpires
on the receipt of adverse decisions to be confined to those words used during dive
bombing attacks.
6. Weapons
All players to be searched for concealed weapons before start of play, all weapons
found other than, S, T, grenades, Mills bomb and revolvers will be confiscated (this
does not apply to umpires).
7. Additional rules
Any other rules may be added or deleted as majority of players, umpires, or
onlookers think fit.
8. Medical
Manager will arrange medical side and have ambulance in attendance. A parade
of stiff (muscle) players will be held at 0900 hrs on 31 Jul 41.
20 Aust Inf Bde team.
Capt. I.F. McMaster 20 Aust Inf Bde H.Q.
Lieut A.C. Fletcher 20 Bde Atk Coy.
Lieut B. Trebeck 20 Aust Inf Bde H.Q.
Sgt. N.N. Fletcher 20 Inf Bde Atk Coy.
Cpl. Laing 20 Bde Atk Coy.
L/Cpl W. Jones 20 Aust Bde Coy.
Lieut M.D. Vincent 20 Aust Inf Bde H.Q.
Pte. W. T. Collins 20 Bde Atk Coy.
WO (11) S. Pearson 20 Bde Atk Coy.
Pte W.D. Pearson 20 Bde Atk Coy
Cpt M.A.E. Ready 20 Bde Atk Coy
Pte P. Chattaway 20 Bdy Atk Coy. 12 man
Manager: Capt. AN. Backhouse
Umpire: Lieut M.D. Pickering
Scorer: L/cpl J.A. Wright.
Team will rendezvous at 20 Bde H.Q. at 1200 hrs, 30 July 41.
Distribution:
Comd. B.M. S.C. any one else copies one to sixteen.
September 19.
Have heard a terrific lot of trucks going past this last week. Also planes down to
Salum. 140 tanks seen in Akroma and they went on down. Knew there was to be a
stunt somewhere and thought it may have been here. Jerry turned it on further down.
He advanced in two columns to Sidi Barrini and our fellows evacuated the Sidi and
started a show around the flank, but Jerry woke up and retired back to Cuppuzzo
again. Hardly a shot fired, but we counted 5 broken down hun tanks. There was a bit
of a crack around the east side but seems to have died down.
Hell of a lot of artillery. We were to play cricket yesterday against the 3rd anti-tank
regiment but it was too dusty. Worst day we have had here yet.
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TO THE 9TH DIVISION A.I.F. AT SEA, 15/2/1943
IF (Rudyard Kipling poem)
We sailed on home, only place we called in were the Maldive Islands, a group of atolls
out in the middle of the ocean – a staging camp on the way home. We arrived off
Fremantle on 18th which was pretty good to see. The general came aboard at 10.00
and said a few words and met most of the brigade officers. He made a mistake - said
“hello Jim still bowling” not changed much. That was General J.J. Murray. Saw Col
O’Neill this afternoon. Sailed fairly well south, the New Amsterdam left us at 5.00 for
Melbourne. Still have 3 destroyers, 1 cruiser and 2 Yankee destroyers are with us now.
Lead cruiser is the “Australia”.
Issued with our clothing trading coupons yesterday – 3 coupons each for tea and
sugar. The battalion will draw £28,000 for pay tomorrow.
In 1943 Andy’s back in Australia, in Cairns, preparing to go to Morotai (where
my father was serving incidentally) and where the Japanese eventually signed
their surrender.
November 5.
Played cricket against 2/2nd mug gunners. We lost but had a good game. Had a day
out scoring 28 and taking 3 catches, stumping 2 so should retire.
October 21,1943.
2/48 battalion take over from us. Two companies relieve where I was - so felt we had
done a fair job accounting for 20 odd japs killed and a lot more wounded for 7 wounded
(casualties). We are going back to Hellsbach where the Sattleburg road started after
we were relieved by the 2/48th. We marched back tired and filthy and were going
past some engineers fixing the road - one fellow leaning on his shovel said to himself
‘‘no bloody wonder the jap was getting a hiding’’ - so we felt a bit better after that.
Everyone was virtually covered in mud- put some tea on and go to bed early. Go up to
battalion and have tea with the Col. Was going to ask for permission to rest the next
day. He asked me how the men were. I said ‘‘they are very tired Sir’’. He said ‘‘aren’t
we all’’, so I said no more.
The next day we had to go up to Sattleburg Rd. The next morning we were just
sleeping in Hellsbach plantation and the company by this time was only 40 odd strong.
I woke up in the morning and was surprised to see the sun shining brightly and the 40
odd chaps all still sound asleep. We start up the hill and follow B company. I did not
think I would make it. Just head down and plod on, quite a few dropped out and either
caught up or picked up by jeeps. The hill was 1,800’ but seemed twice that.
Up past zag and hot as hell, frightfully uncomfortable, the sweat just rolled off and
had to keep brushing it out of my eyes. Used to sting too. Arrived about 11 hundred
hours and had to look around through the cane. Did not like it much. Took over from
the company of the 2/3 Pioneers. They have a small perimeter of about 20 yards
square with about 120 men. Hell it was crowded. Each man was able to reach out and
touch the next man. Much too close for anything.
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A spot of trouble for themselves a few nights previously – Clive Roper was killed. Got
an awful shock when I saw a cross with Clive’s name on it on the side of the road.
Walcha district lost good men during World War II and some were cricketers.
If one man’s story goes some way to explaining the sacrifice, heroics, devastation
and tragedy that sits with victory in World War II, it might be Clive Roper’s. The
Roper brothers were William, Herbert, Clive (Henry Clive, apparently the favourite
of them all), Fred, Tony (James Anthony) and Eric (Percival). All as far as I can
gather played cricket, and William, Clive, Fred and Eric served in the War. Clive
Roper AIF had enlisted in 1940 aged 26 and was made an officer fairly swiftly.
He served in North Africa and the Middle East. He came back in early 1943 after
Australia had told Britain it might be a good idea if we had some troops to defend
the Pacific and on March 17, 1943 married Eileen McDermott, whose parents ran
the Hotel Apsley. He left soon after for another theatre of war. On October 20, 1943,
Lieutenant Henry Clive Roper NX31941 of the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion, was killed
by a Japanese sniper south of Lae in the New Guinea jungle. The letter came through
from his commanding officer in 1944 extolling all the virtues that had also been
present in his brilliant cricket career. He was and remained the family favourite. The
description of his death “. . . the company of which he was an officer was isolated for
some days and surrounded by Japs . . . he was shot cleanly through the heart.” His
commanding officer’s letter to the family is instructive. Clive was as brave as he was
capable. Buried where he fell and later at the military cemetery in Lae.
The description of the cause of death is as clinical as a cover drive. Just as the
sound of one of Clive’s pre-War shots provided enjoyment for all who heard it ring
around The Park with its message of youth’s freedom, the sound of a sniper’s shot
south of Lae in PNG echoed all the way back to the heart of the little New England
town. Its message and accompanying grief was just as profound in its own way.
Before World War II Clive Roper was the standout bat in the district. As a 16-yearold playing for Colts at the start of the 1930s (either the 1929-30 or 1930-31 season,
Clive was born in November 1913) he peeled off four centuries in one season and
was setting batting records. He was presented with a beautiful colour photograph
by the club for his efforts. He was also in the inter-district side beating the might
of Tamworth and in the Far North side that competed at Country Week. In 1938 he
and Bobby Case set a record of 280-odd for a second-wicket stand. He was buried
at Sattelberg, his body recovered by his platoon and later re-buried at Finschhafen
War Cemetery. Twenty-five years on from Clive Roper’s death, another shot, this
time on a rural property south of Walcha, also tore through the heart of cricket.
Another right-handed accumulator gone at an age too young and with the same
devastating effect, for he too was the favourite of all who played in his era.
So cricket restarted in 1946 without the prodigiously talented Clive Roper.
The former Boy Wonder was gone, but Bat-man was waiting in the wings in
the form of a left-hander from Nowendoc. He needed a competition in which to
show his wares and the people of the district knew how to rebuild a comp. Clive
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Roper’s Colts teammate and fellow representative cricketer Jim Fletcher and older
officer brother Andy as we know, returned, more determined than ever. And
Roy Chandler returned too, with possibly the best wrist-spin in northern NSW.
World War II had its effect, not only in terms of men lost and returned, but in
temperament. If Andy hadn’t played it hard before he served in two theatres of
war, you could bet he would now he was back home. Tearaway Fred Roper and
the great fast seam bowler Jim Fletcher straddled the War eras like Colossuses.
Commercial scored 6-328 at The Park in the 1946 season in which Jim Fletcher,
as we know and possibly others, was straight back into rep cricket. I say possibly
others because the photo of that 1946 North and North-West team has Jim listed
as being from Gunnedah. Fred Roper was back into rep cricket fairly quickly too,
and no wonder. In 1947 Fred took 14-12 in a district game against Glen Innes. The
1947 final was won by Colts thanks to Jim Fletcher’s 19 wickets and Laurie Little’s
160. Harvey Yabsley dined out for years on “the final when me and Jim cleaned
’em up” neglecting to add that he took one wicket over two innings to the might
of Jim’s 19. That effort, and Little’s big ton says something about the standard
and the ability of the players generally, not just those two. This was maintained
even as player numbers started to dwindle. Jim won both the batting and bowling
averages in 1948-49. The standard may well have surpassed anything pre-War,
particularly with the sides for inter-district cricket. The Sydney Morning Herald of
Wednesday, April 2, 1947 included the following article.
“BOWLING for Callan Park against Postal in the final round of the City Houses A
grade cricket competition, Les Ferguson took nine wickets for 53 runs.
“He ‘got among’ Postal in the second innings with 10 for 33, an aggregate of 19 for 86.
“Doubtless, Callan Park’s claim of a record was justified until on Sunday, at Walcha,
in the New England, Jim Fletcher took 19 for 60.”
Laurie Little had an aggregate of 778 in the 1946-47 season and his pedigree is
worth noting. Laurie was born in 1917, so he was 30-odd when he dominated that
1947 final with the bat, but as his daughter Lyn pointed out it doesn’t surprise that
he was good, after all his brother Ray, three years older, played Sheffield Shield for
NSW with Bradman. A quick internet search turned up for auction a “1933 NSW
autograph page with four signatures – Don Bradman, Bill O’Reilly, Jack Fingleton
& Ray Little”. Raymond Cecil James Little was born in Uralla in 1914 and batting
right-handed played eight first-class games between 1934 and 1936 scoring 360
runs, with a top score of 78, and an average of 24. He took one wicket for 45 runs.
In a wonderful connection with “Walcha” cricket history given the opportunities
afforded those in the north of the state since the 1870s, in February 1933 Ray
Little played for Northern Districts against the MCC at Newcastle. A newspaper
article at the time was headed “Hobbs rolls back the clock” and reported: “MCC
rested many of their leading players for a non first-class match and the XI was
completed by Plum Warner, the manager, and Jack Hobbs, reporting on the tour
for a newspaper. Chipperfield hit one five and eight fours in an excellent innings of
157. Hobbs, opening the innings, made 44 while the Nawab of Pataudi top-scored
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with an unbeaten 94. On the last day R. Little and A. Baker, aged 16, put on 102
for the fourth Northern Districts wicket, Little making 117.”
No wonder brother Laurie knew how to accumulate at a local level and
what a loss he was with his decision to retire from cricket. And retirement was
on the mind of a few. The returned men were cricket’s backbone, hankering for
the normal life they’d missed. The all-inclusive family picnic atmosphere that
prevailed on Sunday afternoons at the little grounds dotted around the district no
doubt gave them a sense of satisfaction that what they’d fought for had been worth
it. It wasn’t so much that you could control your destiny – dodgy umpiring and rain
could ruin a man’s Sunday arvo cricket – but the strict adherence to rules and the
occasion of the day made for a sense of certainty never available between 1939 and
1945. Those who had been too young or too old to enlist took what guidance was
on offer and forged their own careers. They too had suffered deprivations during
the War, especially not being able to play.
Walcha’s inter-district-teams with Don Fletcher at the helm of the Firsts and
a young Herb Laurie in the Seconds made the finals in the 1948-49 season. The
same season when Jim Fletcher won both the batting and bowling averages in the
Walcha competition. Standards on the field were one thing, but behaviour off the
field another. The Wanderer in 1866 was a perceptive reporter.
‘‘Getting on the grog at Glen Innes busted the Walcha team,” says Herb Laurie.
“Jim Fletcher and Andy Fletcher stayed, Freddy Roper . . . One thing you can’t
do in a good cricket team, you can’t form cliques. If you want to ruin a team that
will do it.”
After a district trip to Glen Innes, according to Herb, a schism developed in
the team between the returned men and the new brigade, not 100 per cent down
the middle, but close enough. Most of the vets wanted nothing more than to get
out of Glen and back to Walcha. Most of the others wanted to stay for a “couple
more”. The event was never documented as far as I know and it’s hard to believe
this would happen, but we play it hard around here. As Herbie recalls:
“What happened, the Walcha district side played Glen Innes and some came
out and sat in the bus and some stayed in the pub. Those on the bus wanted to
come home, Laurie Little and those sort of fellas, and the other fellas went in and
got on the grog and they left them on the bus until 9 o’clock at night. They rowed
all the way to Walcha. And so some dropped out of the district side, Laurie Little
dropped out. The blokes getting on the grog mucked it up. But from that moment
on me and the other younger blokes started to work our way in. Jim Fletcher and
Freddy Roper were two returned men who kept playing district cricket for while,
but then they dropped out too.”
The new generation of world-beaters were given a chance. Luckily some of the
vets stayed on to instil discipline and have their day in the sun too. In Australia
generally not all returned men were up for a party. Indeed, many sought solace
in privacy and alcohol. The younger brigade were keen to strut their stuff feeling
they too had endured the austerity of the War years, if not the horrors of battle.
From a War diary to a War-years memory, again Herb Laurie recalls:
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‘‘The first game I played, right at the end of the War in 1945, I was at school in
Armidale and I was going to the pictures. A car drove up and said, ‘What are you
doing young Laurie?’ And I said ‘I’m meeting a girl to take her to the pictures’
and they said, ‘This is the first official match since the end of the War. Armidale
is playing Uralla and we’re one man short. How about it?’ I said ‘I haven’t got the
gear’, and they said ‘leave your bike there’ because no one would pinch your bike
in those days, ‘hop in the car and we’ll drive you to Miss Mulle’s’ where I was
boarding in O’Dell Street ‘and we’ll get your gear and we’ll go and play Uralla at
Uralla’. So I forgot about the girl, she never spoke to me again, and we went down
there and Max and Walter Taylor were playing. They’d both come back from the
War. Max Taylor was quite fast. It was a two-day game and I said ‘I probably
won’t be here next Saturday, I’m supposed to go home’. They said ‘Well you better
open up, against Max Taylor.’ And I didn’t have batting gloves. We didn’t have
’em during the War years, there was no gear, but I was 22 not out and they said ‘If
you’re going to play Max Taylor on coir mats without gloves you’re not real well
between the ears. Eventually you’re going to lose your fingers.’ They said ‘go and
get a pair of batting gloves’. I said ‘what about a protector?’ They said ‘Jesus’. Max
Taylor died of polio I think.’’
There’s nothing unusual in Armidale securing the services of a useful ring-in,
but the story does underline the connection with Walcha cricket, and Walter Taylor
had many more of those. It is as if there was a determination to make cricket strong
as quickly as possible and this either rubbed off on Herb or was something for
which he was waiting.
The whole pre-War discipline played out in interesting ways. Andy Fletcher
could be hard-headed at times or as his son Warwick said in his eulogy: “Dad was
the sort of bloke, if he thought something needed saying, he said it.”
In the War Veterans’ Cup final in 1963 Andy chastised Herb Laurie in no
uncertain terms for getting out a few overs before lunch. On the Thursday before
the final Herb was riding a young horse when it pulled away and the bridle broke.
He caught it again and was cantering along when a dog came out from behind a
tussock, the horse shied, then bolted, and Herb made a quick decision to leave it to
its own devices. But he landed badly.
“I didn’t go to the doctor because I knew he’d recommend something stupid,
and I wanted to play cricket,” Herb said. “We got Tamworth out by half-past
three or quarter-to-four for about 180. Johnny Muller came on. A left-handed
swinger, nothing out of the ordinary, and I stonewalled. I couldn’t run. And the
next morning Andy Fletcher said to me ‘Go out Herb and keep stonewalling till
lunchtime. Don’t get out before lunch.’ I had to cut me strides, me leg was that
swollen and blue-looking.”
Ten minutes before lunch a juicy long-hop came down and Herb was tempted.
The ball ended up in the ’keeper’s gloves rather than the backward-point boundary.
Bear in mind he was a senior member of the side, but as he limped off, unable to
bend his leg because of the bung knee, Andy greeted him at the fence: “If I was
picking the district team next weekend you wouldn’t be in it. You’ve jeopardised
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our game. We haven’t got that big a score, if we lose another wicket before lunch
we could lose the match.”
“Geez he went crook,” said Herb. “Fair enough too. You don’t do that 10
minutes before lunch. You don’t flash at something.’’
We play it hard around here.
‘‘I’ll tell you something else Andy did,” says Herb. “Gordon Jamieson was
bowling, and he could bowl that Gordon Jamieson. On his day he was unplayable,
particularly on coir mats. He had an orf-cutter and he had a leggie. Anyhow he
bowled this turnout at the Walcha Park and it kicked up at a bloke that poked it
around the corner in the air, so Andy holds up play, fetches fine-leg up, fetches
deep-backward square up and he had three of us around the bat close handy. He
was giving Gordon the message to bowl that orf-cutter. Well Gordon bowled that
leg-spinner, actually it was a half-arsed leg-cutter that pitched short. We were
laying on the ground as the ball hit the boundary. Andy didn’t say anything to
Gordon. He’s there looking down on us saying ‘Stand your ground men, stand
your ground.’ He would’ve been a desperate man in the War.”
“Stand your ground men” became a catchcry for a generation of successful
teams and cricketers.
And Owen Sweeney remembers: “He was a very, very good competitor, Andy.
He played hard, but he was a good competitor, but a good cricketer, a good ’keeper.
We were playing Guyra at Guyra and we got a heap of runs. About the only time
Peter Fenwicke would give Lance Kermode and me a bowl was when there was no
chance of getting beaten.
“On this day David Lawrie (R.A. Laurie’s ‘four-i’d cousin’) was batting. He
was a bloody good cricketer. I bowled this ball that pitched about six inches outside
leg peg and it hit David on the pads. He’d just treated it with contempt and padded
it away. It would have bowled him and I got excited I suppose because I hadn’t
been hit for four, and appealed. And the local umpire gave him out.
“I knew bloody well it wasn’t out. Peter Fenwicke was captain, but he was at
mid-off somewhere and couldn’t see what was going on. So I raced down to Andy
and said ‘He’s not out. No way he’s out.’ And poor old David’s walking off and
he’s given me a bit of a glare. He’d scored about 80-odd. He was the only one from
Guyra that got any runs. They were about seven down and David had 80-odd out
of about 130 or 140.
“And I said ‘What do I do?’ and Andy put his gloves on his head and said
‘Appeal more often.’ It had that regimental feel to it. Geez he played it hard. I’ll
never forget that as long as I bloody live.’’
Herb’s son Rob was on the receiving end too, and he was only a youngster
filling in. ‘‘When I was about 12, I went to Inverell with dad playin’ district cricket
and they were one short, so I went on to field and Andy Fletcher was captain.
Anyhow they hit the ball out to me and I threw it in and it bounced about five times
and he just put his hand up and threw it back to me and said ‘No one ever throws
the ball to me unless it’s on the full.’ This is in the middle of an inter-district game
and the father of the kid on the receiving end is standing in slips watching it all
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transpire. As R.G. recalled: ‘‘I wound up like a javelin thrower and let ’er go and
managed to get it to Andy on the full. ‘Thank you,’ he said.”
But for all that Andy and his brothers used their own equipment to maintain
The Park after the War, before the council bought a mower. Andy opened up the
beautiful Cairnie homestead for a farewell function for Lance Kermode before
his 1966 Emus’ world tour and he was happy to acknowledge the contribution of
others off and on the field. In a speech at the 1966-67 presentation night after Jim
Laurie’s first season in Walcha, Andy made the point of saying how lucky Walcha
cricket was to have Jim settle in the region. The former Northern District (Sydney)
left-arm quick and Shield possible “has added a lot of colour to the cricket scene in
Walcha”, Andy said. A former famous Ingleba captain and opener, with possibly a
couple of schooners and red neds on board, was heard to mutter rather too loudly:
“Add f- - -ing colour all right. I was black and blue for three weeks after the first
time I faced that bastard.”
Most importantly of all, Andy conducted coaching clinics at The Park on
Saturday mornings right into the 1960s. Among other things he used to put a
handkerchief on a spot where the bowler should pitch and taught generations how
to bowl on a good length. His legacy is indelible. And he could keep wickets. His
stumping of Inverell’s Reg Finney, the big piano-tuner and oft-times nemesis of
Walcha, is regarded as one of the best-ever in the Tablelands. Andy came up over
the stumps to Sammy Stephens, who was sharp, could extract lift and move a ball
a mile. Andy took him shoulder-high over the pegs and dropped the pill onto the
bails. ‘‘Gotcha,’’ was all he said.
Andy Fletcher’s hard-nosed approach was forming in the 1920s because of
life in general, but was fully forged after what he’d experienced between 1939 and
1945. Fortunately he returned to prosperous times. The War ended in 1945, the
drought ended in 1946 and the first aerial spraying of superphosphate in Australia
took place at a local property in 1950, which greatly increased the stock-carrying
capacity of the land. And then there was the Korean War. North Asian countries
weren’t big on wielding the willow, but they created markets for rural produce,
particularly that from the Tablelands. Not to be overlooked was the importance
of the timber industry and the mills dotted around the southern New England. So
the new brigade of the ’50s fought their way to prominence in ideal conditions and
partly because of the internal battles the War generation was enduring.
Herb Laurie remembers: “I played cricket at Armidale during the War years,
but only with the local teams. There were four or five local teams of misfits and
whatnots. People that couldn’t go to the War played cricket. I played four years of
cricket during the War in Armidale.”
Herb’s story of the Walcha schism aside, the times they were a changing
anyway. Some brothers with impeccable sporting pedigrees came onto the scene;
Max Holstein, who batted and bowled right-handed and Neville Holstein, who
batted left-handed and bowled right-handed, followed very closely on the heels of
Peter Fenwicke, who batted right-handed and bowled left-handed. He was back
from the King’s School where he had been hailed as the successor to Australian
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left-arm medium-pacer Ernie Toshack. These three dominated sport in northern
NSW in some cases for up to the next 20 years, and were joined by some other
handy participants, to cement the little Tablelands town’s position on the sporting
map. Herb Laurie, an immovable left-handed opener, and younger brother R.A.,
with the rhythmic slinging delivery, topped and tailed club, district, invitation and
representative teams for nearly two decades. Many other good’uns joined them,
like Col Wall, Reynold Mullen and Roy Chandler. All around the district the small
communities were rebuilding and sport and particularly cricket was integral in the
process. The McCrae Cup for B-Grade winners was recommenced in 1947 when
it was won by Lonsdale Bridge, then in 1948 by Nowendoc, 1951 Yarrowitch and
1952 Round Swamp. During the 1939-40 season Nowendoc Cricket Club had 17
members, but very little cricket was played during the War years and it wasn’t
until the 1945-46 season that things picked up. A cement wicket was completed
at Nowendoc Sports Ground in September 1947, the same year a club was formed
at Riamukka. The names of the paid-up members of Nowendoc Cricket Club for
the 1945-46 season will ring a bell: A. and W. Watson, W.A., L.M., A.C., M. and
D. Holstein, L.G., R.B., T.A., H.B., R.E. and Herb Laurie, J., A., G., L., and D.
Margery, J. Partridge, R. and M. Goldsmith, T. McInness, A.J., A. and J. Hicks,
W. Chandler, G. Allardice, R. Belven, J. Aynsley, A.D. and Les Green, J. Hill,
K. Corbett, J. Blencowe, T.L. Higgins, C.C. Gallagher, R.E. Clarke, G. Lyon, E.
Grace, J. Mullen, M. Price, H.E. and E.W. Wright, E. Fuller, J. Forbes, R. Wayte
and A. Stringer.
Riamukka ended up with two teams and from the early 1950s into the ’60s
matches were played against Glen Morrison, Yarrowitch, Round Swamp, Watsons
Creek, Ingleba, Commercial, Colts and Walcha Road. As with all the teams from
the smaller communities the family attended the game, usually with a picnic
lunch. Riamukka and Nowendoc clubs actually held socials and barbecues as well
to make them even more of a social hub. Not only were they successful off the
field they were powerhouses of the competition and provided a wealth of WDCA
and representative players. In Nowendoc a meeting on August 17, 1962, decided to
amalgamate the Nowendoc and Riamukka clubs to form the Couatwong Cricket
Club. Herb Laurie was president, Tom Wayte, secretary and Cedric Wright
treasurer and two teams were nominated for the Walcha knockout. On several
occasions the club organised a weekend of cricket and invited teams from Walcha
and Gloucester.
Alick Bird recalls: “I played with Apsley after the War in A-grade. The first
year after I got out, just after the War, I couldn’t get in the Round Swamp team.
Anyway, we formed a team called Apsley and we met Round Swamp in the final
and I took eight wickets. I didn’t have much trouble getting in the Round Swamp
side next year.” Bird went on to play for more than 20 seasons after the War into
the 1970s, a remarkable career and a remarkable bowler, all with Round Swamp,
the team that had initially rejected him. Alick’s recall has Apsley as Walcha News
Cup Winners for 1946-47 or possibly 1947-48, and the report of the 1948-49
presentation night says Commercial were premiers for that season.
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The history of the turf wicket is one of the most fascinating and important
chapters in the story of Walcha cricket. The NSWCA Report for 1932-33 says
it was able to make grants to country associations towards the cost of the
construction of turf wickets and it was pleased to report there were about 55 turf
wickets in country towns outside of Newcastle. Walcha either didn’t apply or
missed out. At the Cricketer’s Annual Dinner at the conclusion of the 1948-49
season my grandfather raised the issue of the need for a turf wicket in the hope
of staging first-class matches. Old Chilla always did think big, and outside the
square. But the town had to wait another 25 years. This is the report of the 1948-49
presentation night.
“There was an attendance of about fifty players and supporters at the annual
dinner and presentation of trophies of the Walcha and District Cricket Association
held at the Oddfellows’ Hall on Saturday evening last.
“After the toast of ‘The King’ Mr Croft (president), in opening the evening’s
proceedings, extended a welcome to all and said that the evening was a fitting
finish to a very successful season and thanked all who had helped the Association
over the past year and the various club secretaries who had assisted the Association
secretary, Mr V. Partridge, who was having his first year as secretary to that body,
and he had done a very good job.
“Mr Croft referred to the Park where difficulty was experienced with the heavy
growth of grass, but they were endeavouring to secure a mower, and said that until
they did, it would not be possible to lift the standard of cricket in this district.
“The president then paid tribute to the Fletcher brothers, who had mowed the
Park for the Association for this season, and said without their generous action this
could not have been carried out.
“Mr Don Fletcher then proposed the toast of ‘The Mayor’ (Ald C.H. Rowe),
to which the Mayor in replying congratulated the Association on the successful
season they had just passed through, and promised all the support he could give to
make for better cricket.
“The Mayor said he knew of the difficulty of trying to keep the grass down on
the Park and said his Council was expecting delivery of a mower for this purpose
in the very near future, which would not only be of benefit to the cricketers but
the footballers as well. He added that he thought that until a turf wicket was laid
down first-class cricket was not possible and although water was the problem at
the moment Walcha would get its water supply scheme before long.
“At this stage Mr R. Croft apologised for the absence that evening of Mr D.
Fowler, who had been their ex-president for over 20 years on account of being
indisposed. He said this was the first occasion Mr Fowler had been absent from
their annual reunions.
“Mr P. Roper proposed the toast of ‘Cricket’, to which Mr R. Piper ably
responded.
The toast of ‘Umpires and Scorers’ was in the hands of Mr Stan Brazel, who
made reference to the absence of the Umpires’ Association, which before the War
years was a very active body and had done great job to help cricket.
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“Mr T. Greive, in responding to this toast, appealed to the cricketers to
endeavour to try to get the Umpires’ Association going again, which at one stage,
he said, had 16 members, and he, with Mr Bill Little, would help anyone who was
interested in becoming a qualified umpire.
The presentation of trophies was her made by the Mayor as follows:- Yalgoo
Shield to Commercial Club as A grade premiers for 1948-49.
“Turton and News Cup to Commercial Club as winners of the Knock-out
competition.
“McRae Cup to Orandumbie as B grade premiers for 1948-49.
“N.N. Fletcher Cup to Glenmorrison (sic) as winners of B grade Knock-out.
“Batting pads to Walcha Road as winners of the A grade Consolation Knockout.
“Mr C. Mortimer, in accepting this trophy on behalf of Walcha Road, paid
some high tributes to Walcha cricket, which, he said, proved by their wins in the
inter-district competition could hold their own with any team in the north.
“He was more than pleased with the manner in which the competition was
conducted, and said in other centres where he had played bitterness used to
creep into these games, but in Walcha this bitterness was very much absent, and
the sporting manner in which all teams in this district played their cricket was
something that other centres could be shown how.
“A Grade batting and bowling average: N.N. Fletcher.
“B Grade batting average: D. McHattan.
“B Grade bowling: R. Rourke.
“Most catches by wicketkeeper: P. Osmond.
“Mr. C Watts gave the toast of ‘The Secretary’, Mr V. Partridge, who eulogised
the work done and congratulated him on the services given, which was even more
creditable as he was new to his position.
“The singing of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow supported the toast.
“Mr Partridge, in responding, said his work had been made easier by the cooperation of the Club secretaries and to them he owed a lot of thanks. He then gave
the progress the Association had made over the year and felt that the standard of
cricket was advancing as shown by the number of teams competing in this year’s
competition – 14 – and their balance sheet, which shows healthy credit balance.
He concluded by saying he would like to especially thank Messrs P. Roper and C.
Macdonald, P. Davidson and A. Fletcher for the valuable assistance they rendered.
“The toast of ‘The Press’ was given by Mr A. Ferris and repeated a second
time when Mr P. Roper proposed a second toast in which he spoke of the valuable
assistance the local paper had been to the game.
“Mr E. Hogan responded to these toasts.
“The next toast was that to ‘The President’, Mr R. Croft, given by the Mayor,
Ald. Rowe, who spoke of the sporting qualities that Mr Croft possessed, and said
no better president could be found in the length and breadth of the north.
“Mr Col Wall and Mr C. Mortimer supported the toast, and both spoke very
highly of the president both as a player and in his official capacity.
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“This toast was further carried by all singing For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.
“When Mr Croft arose to speak he said he was a little overwhelmed in having
his toast honoured twice. He then made an appeal to all club secretaries to get
their young players to attend the coaching classes, which the Association would
conduct. Mr Croft said he wished to see the younger players improve and get
their chance to represent the district, and would like to see the time return when
the oldest player in the side was 25 years old, which was the case when he first
represented the district. He also spoke of the success the district had had this
season of reaching the finals of the inter-district competition, and said this success
was due to their captain, Mr Don Fletcher, who had no peer in this captaincy. He
concluded by saying he hoped the Association would go on to better things in the
future.
“ ‘The Caterers’ toast coupled with the names of Mrs J. Hammond and Mrs
H. Steel, was given by Mr A. Boyd and carried by all singing For They Are Jolly
Good Fellows.
“The last toast of the evening was given in Mr J. Mackay’s honour by Mr C.
Mortimer, which was also carried by singing For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”
Some history and a few connections in all of that. I wonder what The Wanderer
might have concluded? And I wonder what Sunny Jim was thinking?
The Korean War and good seasons brought wealth and security for country
and town. The district flourished materially, socially and on the sporting fields.
Fenwicke flair, Holstein heroics, Mullen magic, Chandler charm, Hoy hardness,
Golledge gamesmanship, Jamieson joie de vivre . . . But the strict pre-War rules of
play still applied and the sense of normality seemed well-respected. By the early
1950s there were three grades and more than 30 teams. Depth combined with
quality, and within a decade the Walcha inter-district cricket side, and the town’s
other sporting teams and sportsmen and women, were hailed for their efforts. In
the 1949-50 season the competition was divided into two zones, East with eight
teams, and West with six teams. The East Zone teams were Riamukka I and II,
Nowendoc, Commercial, Yarrowitch, Colts, Glen Morrison and Orandumbie. The
West Zone teams were Round Swamp, Colts, Commercial, Ingleba, Woolbrook
and Walcha Road. That system lasted for three seasons until 1952-53 and the
structure reverted to a straight 12-team competition.
Depth, respect for the game and memories of the strong comp before the War
ensured the post-War standard was very high. Other factors contributed, not the
least the point-scoring system. There was no divided time, meaning teams had to
dismiss the opposition or they had the option of declaring. For instance, you could
graft 200 by afternoon tea and leave the opposition two hours to get them. But 10
points were on offer for an outright, seven for a first-innings win and three for a loss.
A draw was only worth four points. The players after the War added nous to their
ability and captains and team brains trusts made more decisions than a barmaid
during the 6 o’clock swill. Walcha cricketers didn’t play for draws. The four points
on offer weren’t worth it. The point-scoring system had other incentives too, such
as bonus points for runs scored and wickets taken and this provided a positive and
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enduring affect. For one, every team had a spinner. Walcha produced spinners.
Four medium pacers strangling the game was considered heresy. Every team
considered they were better off getting beaten on the first innings. The incentive
made for the scoring of quick runs created the possibility of picking up wickets.
This scoring system was reintroduced in the 1970s with similar success. The style
of play was inculcated into the Walcha inter-district sides and aided and abetted
by balanced teams. Like the best Australian sides Walcha teams, particularly the
inter-district teams, were based on downwind speed, into-the-wind leggies (or
left-arm orthodox in the case of Peter Fenwicke), tight medium change bowlers,
partnership batting and exceptional fielding. The Walcha inter-district sides very
rarely had less than six or seven all-rounders. The point-scoring system in the
local comp meant captains could adapt to whatever the Northern Tablelands
Council rules were in place for inter-district cricket, whether they be no-divided
time like Walcha, divided time, or overs distribution. If the captain said “hold up
an end” or “give me a score I can declare with”, the batsmen responded. Similarly
if he said “tie this up for me, I’m bringing the leggie on from the other end”, the
end was tied up. But the Walcha spinners developed to such a standard that often
they bowled in tandem. The promotion and encouragement of spin bowling played
out all the way until the end of the golden era when R.G. “Rob” Laurie (twice) and
Denis Wall (five times) were picked as all-rounders in Northern Tablelands Colts
sides for the J.S. White Carnival, Rob for his leggies and Denis for his right-arm
orthodox. Bush cricketers in general, but Walcha cricketers in particular, faced
enormous challenges, but they also had terrific opportunities, playing as they did
in front of influential administrators and against first-class representatives.
The symbol of supremacy in north and north-west cricket was the War Veterans’
Cup and the Walcha side competed for their first one in 1956-57 after taking the
Northern Tablelands title. The side went on to a couple of undefeated years in
the late 1950s and were recognised as the best inter-district team. Unfortunately,
two sets of results or scorebooks had to be presented to the Northern Tablelands
Cricket Council recording secretary to verify and cross-reference results and
figures. As Herb Laurie recalls: ‘‘We played in Walcha and the representative from
Armidale, who was playing against us, was also the recording secretary. He told
Walcha, Ronnie Green actually, ‘don’t send ’em up, you’ve won fair and square’,
and then they disqualified us. They did it two years in a row. We would’ve played
in two more War Veterans’ Cups. Two years in a row Armidale did it to us.
“When we had that real good side, and that was a good side, we had everything.
Anything you needed to get a team out. We could peg ’em down. We never lost
a match for three years and we were classed by the NSW Cricket Association
as the best inter-district team in the state. It was a good side. It had depth, it had
everything.”
From the national level to Walcha, cricket was based around partnerships
and scoring quickly enough to secure results, match-winning all-rounders and
superior fielding. Catches win matches. Walcha had already come back to strength
and it was the returned men who provided the nous and guidance. This would
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become an important issue because Australian teams of all persuasions like to
inject youth and Walcha cricket was no exception. Thus Herbie was summoned
from Riamukka for the Second XI final against Gunnedah. Facing Max Taylor on
coir mats without protection had been a good initiation.
“Nowendoc and Riamukka both formed teams after the War,” Herb recalls. “I
was opening the batting for Riamukka at age 17. I got picked to play in the final
for Walcha against Gunnedah in the Second XI and that was the first time I ever
saw a turf wicket . . . at Gunnedah. It was a terrible thing, it shot. There were no
turf wickets during the War years. Walcha apparently won the area. I don’t know
how it came about, but they sent word for me. The fellas from Riamukka mill,
Henry Stringer, and Jack “Bones” Partridge and Mark Holstein put me in the car
and took me to Gunnedah. That was 1948. And from then on I was always in a
representative side, either the Firsts or the Seconds.”
Herb played on until 1989, another 41 years, but he recalls those early days.
“I was dragged up into the Firsts with Freddy Roper and those fellas and as
they dropped out we all came in. We were all in the District X1 by ’52. Max
Holstein, Neville Holstein and my brother Bobby, a terrible good bowler. There
was a heap of ’em there, Roy Chandler, a tremendous leg-spinner, Ronnie Green,
a fast bowler, [but] he bowled a heap of rubbish at times.”
In 160 years Walcha cricket’s other great nemesis has been drought. During
World War II eastern Australia suffered dry conditions that lasted from 1937
through to 1947 with little respite. The end of the drought coincided with the 194647 Ashes tour and it rained in all 25 matches played by the tourists, including two
tropical rainstorms during the First Test at Brisbane and another in the Second Test
at Sydney. The England team were led by the veteran Wally Hammond. England
had drawn the Victory Tests 2-2 in 1945 and were thought to be equal in strength,
but Hammond lost 3-0 to Bradman’s Australian team. Few seasons created so
much advance interest as 1946-47 because a tour had been planned for 1940-41,
but this was cancelled due to the War. The Australian Board of Control asked for
a rapid resumption of Test cricket to revive the sport, which had not hosted a Test
match since 1937. The MCC asked Hammond to lead a ‘‘Goodwill Tour’’ and he
was told that good sportsmanship was more important than winning the series,
which could be contested more seriously later in the 1948 Ashes series. As a result,
he looked on the tour as an extended holiday, a view not shared by Bradman, who
was determined to win the series, and this led to a strained relationship between
the two captains. Bradman played it hard. The tour itself was a great success.
It was 1947 too, December 13 actually, that one of the most famous instances
of a bowler running out the non-striker occurred. It involved Indian bowler Vinoo
Mankad and happened at the SCG in the second Test match of the sub-continental
team’s tour. Mankad ran out Bill Brown when, in the act of delivering the ball, he
held on to it and whipped the bails off with Brown well out of his crease. This was
the second time Mankad had dismissed Brown in this fashion on tour having done
it in an earlier match against an Australian XI. On that occasion he had warned
Brown once before running him out. The Australian press strongly accused
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Mankad of being unsportsmanlike, though some Australians, including captain
Don Bradman, defended Mankad’s actions. It was no surprise that Bradman took
a hard-nosed approach.
T
hings didn’t always go well for the rebuilt Riamukka side. Unfortunately they
have the unenviable record of the lowest team score recorded in Walcha cricket,
eight, when they were cleaned up by Yarrowitch in 1950. There were seven ducks
and Cecil Moore took 8-3. In fairness, Riamukka were providing two sides and
that was their younger, more inexperienced side. (Herb Laurie’s recall is of: “Stan
and Lester Moore bowling at Yarrowitch and destroying the batting of the younger
Riamukka Second XI for eight runs.” But maybe he meant Cecil or the newspaper
is incorrect.) The stronger Riamukka team were good enough to score 9-368 at
Nowendoc in the early 1950s in a game in which 539 runs were scored in 305
minutes. Nowendoc made 171. In 1951 Yarrowitch made 9-304 at the Common.
Jim Fletcher didn’t mess around with Lonsdale Bridge in 1950 when they
were skittled for 11, Jim taking 6-5 and fellow Colts trundler D. O’Brien 4-3. Fred
Roper had moved over to Commercial and helped roll Yarrowitch for 16. Fred
snared 5-2 and Col Wall 5-3. Yarrowitch escaped with a draw when rain prevented
Commercial from batting.
It is a testimony to the ability of Max Holstein that his batting records lasted
for so long. In the 1954-55 season he averaged 118, which wasn’t beaten until Mark
Peters in the1980s. Fourteen years on from one of Max’s stellar years, in the 196869 season, he had an aggregate of 840 runs, probably still a record. The longevity
of such high-quality performances is amazing when you consider the calibre of
bowlers he was facing, including Alick Bird, Gordon Jamieson, Roy Chandler,
Peter Fenwicke, Sam Stevens, Max Starr, Col Wall, Eric Stier and Ron Green
among a host of others. As if to underline their ability, Max and Gordon both made
comebacks at a very later age and were still devastating.
Depth in player numbers and quality of players aside, the performance of
Walcha cricketers can be judged against the wickets they have played on, both at
home and away. Fred Roper bent his back and Jim Fletcher had magicians’ fingers,
but there’s not doubt coir matting, particularly on antbed, spoiled bowlers to a
degree. By the same token, batsmen knew the bounce was at least going to be true
and those who learnt to play square of the wicket cashed in. Only the very best
could drive on the rise. As Herb Laurie said: “Bowlers can get the seam to grip,
they get movement and bounce whenever they want with the hard surface under
the mats (cement and antbed), which provided spring to anyone who bent their
back and knew what they were doing.”
Some of Walcha’s fast men didn’t always adjust to the turf when they played
away and tended to pitch too short at times. Herb reckons all the Walcha bowlers
were good enough to do very well, but they needed to bowl a fuller length. He even
thought Peter Fenwicke pushed it through too much in local conditions, hence
singling him out for his 6-36 for Northern Tablelands when he tossed the ball up
into a south-easter at Armidale racecourse and cleaned up Tasmania.
97
Successful Australian teams are balanced and play with the mindset of going
for the win. The teams in the Walcha competition and particularly the successful
inter-district sides displayed a similar pattern – hard-nosed captaincy with matchwinning all-rounders. One of the recurring comments of the players of the era
was the all-round ability of the leading performers. Peter Fenwicke with his leftarm orthodox was also an accomplished right-handed bat. Neville Holstein was a
prodigious left-handed bat and played down his bowling ability, but a check of the
scorebooks shows him picking up vital wickets. “He was a Dougie Walters type,”
said Owen Sweeney, “a partnership breaker.” Max Holstein was a genuine allrounder as was Roy Chandler, “a once-in-a-generation leg-spinner” who could bat
anywhere from first drop to no.9 in the order. The blokes picked for the attack in
inter-district sides and who therefore batted in the tail, often opened or batted in the
middle-order at club level. And the prodigious wicket-takers at club level always
batted high in the order as well. The high standard of Walcha cricket continued
until the early 1970s. The inter-district side based itself on downwind speed; Ren
Mullen, Max Starr, Fred Roper, Ron Green, R.A. (Bobby) Laurie, Jim Laurie and
Sam Stephens for example, and into-the-wind leggies of Roy Chandler, Owen
Sweeney, Gordon Jamieson, Neville Holstein (occasionally), Barry Holstein,
Eric Stier, R.G. (Rob) Laurie and Mike Toshack or Peter Fenwicke’s left-armers.
Partnership batting was emphasised by a series of captains in Percy Golledge,
Col Wall, Peter Fenwicke, Andy Fletcher, Herb Laurie and Neville Holstein and
carried to the letter by Herb, Owen Sweeney and Lance Kermode. Walcha had
match-winning all-rounders in Max Holstein, Peter Fenwicke and Roy Chandler
and a matchwinner in Neville Holstein. And the fielding was exemplary. It was
Herb Laurie who described Roy Chandler as a once-in-a-generation leggie. He’d
honed his skills in the Pacific Islands, but it was the Battle of Britain that was
the key. It was won in the air, as is all leg-spinning success. Some War Veterans’
Cup wins and inter-district wins were nailbiters, but the faith in everybody to
contribute won the day. How many times have we seen that with Australia when
they’re on top?
P
ercy Golledge (Walcha Road) and Peter Fenwicke (Colts) won the A-grade
batting and bowling averages respectively for the 1953-54 season. Golledge
averaged 47.00 and just tipped out Col Wall who finished with 46.81. The bowling
was also close, Fenwicke snaring 34 wickets at 9.23 to just beat Max Holstein
9.84 and Fred Roper 9.87. Bruce Steel was the most successful wicketkeeper with
nine stumpings and three catches while Vern Henry (Walcha Road) held the most
catches in the field with 17. Dave McHattan and Alby Ferris of Glen Morrison won
the B-Grade batting and bowling respectively and were runners-up respectively.
The newspaper has McHattan’s batting average at 29.11 and Ferris’s bowling
average at 4.11 after taking 28 wickets. A-Grade batting: Percy Golledge: innings
13, not outs 4, highest score 106 not out, aggregate 423, average 47.0; Col Wall 13,
2, 118, 515, 46.8; Dick Croft 11, 1, 73 not out, 439, 43.90; Lindsay Margery 13, 1,
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110, 510, 42.50; Neville Holstein 16, 1, 153, 601, 40.06; Roy Chandler 13, 1, 80 not
out, 470, 39.16; E. Wright 15, 3, 147 not out, 452, 37.66; G. Hamel 12, 3, 92, 291,
33; G. Burgess 13, 0, 63, 397, 30.53; A. Best 12, 5, 87 not out, 212, 30.28. A-grade
bowling: Peter Fenwicke wickets 34, runs scored off bowling 314, average 9.23;
Max Holstein 25, 246, 9.84, Fred Roper 33, 326, 9.87; Herb Laurie 33, 362, 10.96;
G. Burgess 44, 585, 13.29; Percy Golledge 33, 462, 14.0; Roy Chandler 40, 572,
14.3; Alick Bird 32, 487, 15.21; Jim Boyd 27, 543, 20.11; F. Chandler 26, 638, 24.53;
B. Laurie (N) 25, 623, 24.92. B-grade batting: Dave McHattan 11, 1, 114 not out,
262, which by my calculations gives him an average of 26.2. Alby Ferris 11, 1, 65,
249, 24.9; B. Brazel 10, 0, 74, 249, 24.90; Henry Stringer 10, 1, 64 not out, 208,
23.11; E. Hoy 10, 0, 73, 225, 22.50. B-Grade bowling: Alby Ferris 28, 132, 4.11;
Dave McHattan 39, 272, 6.97; K. Lind 36; 282; 7.83; G. Attewell 31, 260, 8.38;
Henry Stringer 31, 351, 11.32; Charlie Hargreaves 28, 375 13.39.
It was noteworthy that during the 1953-54 season with three matches to be
played, Neville Holstein, 42.54, was leading Max Brady 39.16 and Bob Case
38.50 while in the bowling Eric Stier, 7.68 was leading Alick Bird 7.90 and Percy
Golledge 8.39. There’s a real pre-War post-War mix in the lists and notably Neville
Holstein, 104, and Max Holstein, 124, have tons to their names while Max Brady,
Bob Case, Roy Chandler and Percy Golledge are a reminder of days gone by.
There’s an E. Wright from Walcha Road in the batting and an E. Wright from
Nowendoc in the bowling and also Numa Joubert, a teacher who boarded with my
grandmother and then moved to Armidale and played against Walcha. Dick Croft
is still featuring in the wicketkeeping.
Jumping a season to 1955-56 and Col Wall of Commercial and Max Starr
of Colts won the batting and bowling honours. Wall’s batting average was 34.14
while Starr took 43 wickets at 3.37. The report at the time read: “The averages
reveal a big decline in the standard of the game in Walcha. The batting is of a much
lower scale than last year’s record low.
“Apart from Starr’s exceptional performance, only two other bowlers qualified
[by taking] the required number of 25 wickets. It seems very apparent that the
qualifying number of wickets is too high, and the number could be brought down
to 15, as in most other town competitions.
Details, bowling: Max Starr wickets 43, runs scored off bowling 145, average
3.37; Gordon Jamieson 33, 244, 7.39; F. Bowden 25, 194, 7.76. Batting: Col Wall
innings 8, not outs 1, highest score 81, aggregate 239, average 34.14; Don Margery
8, 1, 132 not out, 233, 33.28; Max Holstein 5, 0, 82, 158, 31.60; R.A. Laurie 7, 0, 66,
216, 30.85; Reynold Mullen 6, 1, 36, 143, 28.60; Percy Golledge 8, 0, 105 not out,
221, 27.62; Neville Holstein 7, 0, 81, 180, 25.71; Alex Boyd 6, 1, 70, 115, 23.00; Roy
Chandler 7, 1, 95, 131, 21.83; Dave McHattan 5, 1, 66 not out, 84, 21.00. The figures
don’t lie, but things turned around quickly and the standard picked up.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Much of the information in the following chapter comes
from the incredible scrapbooks of Neville Holstein. Apart from a library, it’s
hard to imagine a better primary source of material, but they weren’t compiled
in chronological order. Most of the clippings, particularly up to the early 1960s,
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have a year written on them rather than a season. With the help of Graham Croker
I attempted to put 20 years of scoreboards in their correct seasons. Apologies in
advance for any errors.)
Following are some snippets from the 1956-57 season.
Ingleba were in good form against Glen Morrison, scoring 335, Terry Wall
retiring at 108 with five sixes and 13 fours. Ron Green hit 72. Wall then collected
4-15 and Green 3-21.
Interesting matches from towards the end of the 1956-57 season. Round
Swamp moved to minor premiership favouritism with two matches remaining
when they thumped Colts on a weekend in which Max Holstein scored his second
consecutive century and Walcha Road outrighted Yarrowitch. Swamp rolled Colts
for 53 with Alick Bird taking 7-15 and then knocked up 8(dec)-168, Roy Chandler
55 and Ken Hoy 55 not out among the runs and Max Starr 4-68.
Max Holstein hit nine sixes and five fours (or “fourers” as the News reports
says) in his 111 for Riamukka 9(dec)-207 in the win over Ingleba,96, R.A.
Laurie taking 7-9 off seven overs. Bowlers dominated in Nowendoc’s win over
Commercial. Col Wall 3-32 and Les Hoy 4-36 kept Nowendoc to 111, but Cedric
Wright 5-16 and Jack Hicks 4-10 dismissed Commercial for either 33 according
to the batting card or 43 according to the bowling analysis. Gee it’s fun looking
through old scoreboards and adding them up. Yarrowitch were dismissed for 40 in
their first innings and 43 in their second while Road totalled 50 in their first and
113 in their second innings. For Road, N. Carter took 5-23 and 4-23 and Jim Boyd
4-17 and 3-11. For Yarrowitch, Charlie Hoare took 3-20 and 3-23 and B. O’Keefe
4-3 in Road’s first dig.
Nowendoc needed an outright when they played Walcha Road to catch
Round Swamp in the race for the premiership, the Walcha News reported, as the
previous Sunday’s matches did not clarify the minor premiership. Round Swamp
had outrighted Yarrowitch and despite knocking up 331 Nowendoc drew with
Riamukka.
“The major premiership will be fought out between Round Swamp, Nowendoc,
Riamukka and it looks certain Colts will be the fourth team. Commercial would
have to gain an outright win over Colts to get them into the four.’’
Nowendoc probably batted too long in compiling 331 because they only left
Riamukka 140 minutes to bat. There are a number of explanations, not the least
payback and oneupmanship, and more than likely the fact Riamukka at that stage
held the record for the highest innings total, 9-368 made against Nowendoc in
1953. The Margerys were again solid at the top of the order, Don Margery 69 and
Lindsay Margery 45, but all the Nowendoc side contributed (Cedric Wright 38,
Henry Stringer 34 and sundries 30). And what a classic Nowendoc line-up: three
Margerys (L, D and A) three Waytes (D, A and M) two Wrights (C and E) Jack
Hicks, Henry Stringer and W. Holstein. Riamukka opened with Herb Laurie (42)
and Max Holstein (36) and finished on 6-147 (Dick Wayte 3-10).
Ron Moffitt and Cecil Moore fought in vain for Yarrowitch, but Round Swamp
were too strong. Moffitt batted at no.3 and hit 18, Moore at no.5 was 23 not out,
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but Yarrowitch were all out for 64, Alick Bird 3-29, Jack Wake 3-20, Roy Chandler
3-13. Swamp declared at 8-186, Ray Hoy hitting 75 and Bird 25, and Wake 29
completing good doubles. Moore, 2-34 and Moffitt 4-74, opened the bowling.
Yarrowitch were all out for 85 second-time round, Moffitt top-scoring with 34;
Alick Bird 3-12, Roy Chandler 5-35.
Gordon Jamieson scored 60 in Ingleba’s total of 116 against Walcha Road; N.
Carter 3-3, L. Usback 2-1, and the Road replied with 195, Noel Caslick 92, Alex
Boyd 64; Gordon Jamieson 5-28. Commercial outrighted Glen Morrison, the Glen
all out for 67 (Col Wall 4-16, Les Hoy 4-24) and Commercial replied with 98 (Les
Hoy 36). The Glen hit 92 in their second dig (Col Wall 3-25, Robert Sweeney 3-5,
Dudley Towers 2-3). Commercial’s 6-114 was enough for four points (Col Wall 30).
A play-off was needed to decide the minor premiership. Nowendoc had to
play Round Swamp on the Common, (no home-ground advantage?) to determine
the minor premiership after Nowendoc defeated Walcha Road outright the week
before. Commercial, who needed an outright to get into the finals for the major
premiership, failed by one point against Colts.
Peter Fenwicke, who was selected to play for Combined Country against
Metropolitan, delayed his flight plans to Sydney to Monday morning, just to play
for Colts on the Sunday. We play it hard around here. Yarrowitch and Ingleba did
not meet on account of the motor accident involving two Yarrowitch residents.
Noel Caslick scored 58 out of Walcha Road’s first-innings 85 while Henry Stringer
took 8-34 for Nowendoc. Don Margery hit 44 in Nowendoc’s 5(dec)-106 and
then Road were rolled for 71, Stringer picking up a further five wickets, while
Nowendoc were four wickets down when they picked up the required runs for the
outright, Don Margery scoring 22.
Riamukka had a 191-run win over Glen Morrison, and all the stars were out to
play. Nev Holstein (71) and Herb Laurie (56) opened while R.A. Laurie (50 retired)
and Ren Mullen (42 retired) also helped Riamukka to 272. Jim Farrell 37 and J.
Mansfield 25, contributed the bulk of The Glen’s 81, which included six ducks. Ren
Mullen 4-13 and Will Watson 4-15 were the destroyers. Commercial’s bowlers,
Col Wall 2-19, Dudley Towers 1-11, Robert Sweeney 3-29, Les Hoy 2-12 and Max
Watts 2-3 shared the honours in rolling Colts for 88. Commercial hit 138, Col Wall
38, Robert Sweeney 24 retired and Dud Towers 17 having good all-round games.
Confusion reigns for a researcher on determining how the season played out.
The heading of the Walcha News report suggests Colts and Riamukka are to meet
in the final, but the report says: “Colts and Round Swamp will meet in the final for
the major premiership honours of Walcha Association’s competition. As it turns
out the headline was correct and the opening paragraph incorrect. Here’s how it
reads: “In semi-final matches played on Sunday, Colts beat the minor premiers
Round Swamp by 15 runs on the first innings and Riamukka defeated Nowendoc
outright. The minor premiers have no right for grand challenge.”
Run that by me again.
Anyway, Colts batted first against Swamp and compiled 119, Peter Fenwicke
top-scoring with 38, and Ray Hoy taking 4-11. Fenwicke took 8-27 off 12 overs
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as Swamp were all out for 104, opener Lindsay Partridge top-scoring with 27.
Riamukka outrighted Nowendoc, Neville Holstein hitting 71 and Ren Mullen 45
in the victor’s total of 199. Nowendoc had been cleaned up for 106, the Margery
brothers opening and top-scoring, Lindsay with 27 not out and Don with 24, while
Will Watson took 4-34, R.A. Laurie 3-10 and Mullen 2-13. Nowendoc made 94 in
their second innings.
As it turned out Riamukka were the major premiers for 1956-57, beating Colts
in a low-scoring match. Riamukka led by eight on the first innings, 113 to 105, and
when they were dismissed for only 46 in their second innings, Colts’ target of 54
looked very gettable, but they were rolled for 33.
Interestingly, a report at the time makes the point “Riamukka’s win means that
two country teams have taken out the main trophies this season. Round Swamp
won the minor premiership”. Almost 100 years after a town team was formed, the
structure of cricket, and, we assume, society, was still based around the town and
country. When this transformed within 20 years, Walcha cricket almost died. Max
Holstein took 6-35 in Colts’ first innings and 6-16 in the second, while Max Starr
had a good match for Colts in a losing final, picking up 4-26 in the first innings and
5-23 in the second. Peter Fenwicke took 5-7 in Riamukka’s second dig. Reynold
Mullen made 62 for Riamukka before being run out in the first innings, scored in
38 minutes and including four sixes. He picked up 4-16 in Colts’ second innings.
The averages for 1956-57 make an interesting story. Max Holstein (Riamukka)
won the batting and Peter Fenwicke (Colts) took out the bowling. Max hit 466
runs, highest score 111, in eight innings for an average of 58.25. Roy Chandler
(Round Swamp) was second on 51.14 with a high score of 116. Strangely enough,
Neville Holstein and Fenwicke failed to qualify for the batting average, Fenwicke
playing in five games and Neville in four. The rules said that to qualify a batsman
had to play in at least two-thirds of the matches, which would have been six. For
the record, Fenwicke’s batting average was 211 and his aggregate 422. In his five
matches he hit 133 not out, 121 not out, 151 not out, 5 and 12.
The batting averages fall away sharply to the mid and low-30s after Max
and Roy. In other seasons they would be considered good years with the willow,
but based on the figures published in the Walcha News show some of them to
be incorrectly calculated. It would seem the next best were Gordon Jamieson
(Ingleba) and Herb Laurie (Riamukka). In the bowling Fenwicke took 24 wickets
for 131 runs and an average of 5.45. Following him were: Alick Bird (Round
Swamp) 36 wickets, 241 runs, 6.69; Jack Wake (Round Swamp) 21, 146, 6.95;
Henry Stringer (Nowendoc) 20, 146, 7.30; Eric Stier (Colts) 19, 139, 7.31; and R.A
Laurie (Riamukka) 19, 142, 7.47.
Neville Holstein had a batting average of 30 from his four matches. It begs the
question, if Fenwicke couldn’t qualify for the batting average, how does he win the
bowling average? He took 24 wickets at 5.45. Had the old rule of a bowler having
to take 25 wickets to qualify still been in place, Alick Bird, the runner-up, would
have taken the trophy with his 36 wickets at 6.69. Might be worth noting Peter and
Neville were involved in sport at a bit higher level during the season.
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Riamukka easily defended the Knowles Cup against Nowendoc, despite
Cedric Wright’s 5-32. Peter Laurie hit 81 for the winners.
The Walcha News of Thursday, January 31, 1957, reported Walcha Firsts losing
to Inverell but beating Guyra in the Northern Tablelands, meaning the competition
developed into a tussle between Walcha and Inverell, both sides having defeated
each other once. Peter Fenwicke took 6-45 in the loss to Inverell and then belted
123 retired against Guyra and picked up 3-17, while Max Starr returned 4-28.
Other inter-district reports from 1956-57 reveal a Second XI comprising Alex
Boyd and Jim Boyd, Lindsay Margery, Viv Partridge, Eric Stier, Ross Kermode,
Jeff Makeham, Noel Caslick, R. Gill, Don Holstein and N. Carter losing to Inverell.
The Walcha Second XI had a good win over Armidale the same year when Cedric
Wright, 30, Dudley Towers, 28, and Alex Boyd, 23, helped compile 125. Cedric
Wright completed a good double, taking 7-26 and Armidale were all out for 116.
Interesting that Walcha teams always have a balanced attack, Roy Chandler a
leggie in the firsts, Eric Stier a leggie in the Seconds. Playing for Armidale in the
Seconds was Numa Joubert, who at one stage taught in Walcha. Ren Mullen later
moved from Riamukka to Armidale and played solidly for them for years as well.
Walcha won the Tablelands Zone of the inter-district council competition
when they defeated Armidale outright at the Walcha Showground. Armidale were
all out for 22 in their first innings, facing only 15 overs with Reynold Mullen
taking 6-16 and Max Starr 4-6. Walcha replied with 97, Mullen coming in at no.9
hitting 27 in 13 minutes. Walter Taylor batted through Armidale’s second dig and
remained 46 not out in a total of 100 neat, Peter Fenwicke 7-26 and Starr 3-19.
Walcha needed just 26 with an hour to play and hit 31 in 30 minutes, Herb Laurie
15 not out, Nev Holstein 12 not out. The win earned Walcha the right to play
Inverell, winners of the Western Zone of Tablelands, on March 9 and 10.
Walcha easily won the Northern Tablelands Council zone final in 1956-57
by backing up solid bowling with brilliant fielding against Inverell in Armidale.
Another contributing factor was a brilliant 54 by Neville Holstein a resilient 34
by Roy Chandler and the hard hitting of Max Holstein (29) and Reynold Mullen
(19). Walcha scored 199: Herb Laurie 13, Col Wall 2, Roy Chandler 34, Neville
Holstein 54, Don Margery 19, Max Holstein 29, Doug Schrader 0, Peter Fenwicke
4, Ren Mullen 19, R.A. Laurie 1, Max Starr 4 not out. How well-balanced is that
side? Smith for Inverell took 6-70, but they could only manage 87, Rennie Mullen
2-20, Max Starr 2-39, Peter Fenwicke 3-9 and Roy Chandler 3-11. (This is another
report where the scoreboard and the story don’t match, but I’m going with 87 for
Inverell’s score.)
A left-arm orthodox and a right-arm leggie as first and second-change bowlers
after the quality quicks had done their tricks taking the first four in the order, the
top two (and possibly three) all for ducks.
What a find this report was.
“Walcha should be proud of its cricketing sportsmen, products of the Walcha
Cricket Association well-known in the North as sportsmen and gentlemen all, on
and off the field, says Mr S. G. Gunson, secretary of the Northern Tablelands
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Cricket Council. Mr Gunson was conveying the Council’s congratulations to
Walcha on their winning the premiership of the Tablelands competition, through
the secretary of Walcha Association, Mr Col Wall.
“Mr Gunson said this was no mean effort as his council felt that the standard is
quite high and to come through a series of home and away matches with the towns
engaged in this competition is a meritorious achievement.
‘‘ ‘We hail the new Premiers of the Tablelands – Walcha – and trust that your
fellow townspeople will feel great pride in the success of your eleven,’ he said.
‘‘ ‘You have further great claim to be proud of your cricketing sportsmen as
Peter Fenwicke again represented NSW Country XI versus the Metropolitan XI at
the Sydney Cricket Ground this year.
“ ‘Peter was our lone representative from the Tablelands and he brought added
prestige to your mountain town and district.
“ ‘We cannot allow the occasion to pass without reference to Neville Holstein’s
great tour to New Zealand.
“ ‘I have before me Jim White’s report of the tour and he speaks in laudatory
terms of Neville’s great innings against Southland Colts at Invercargill, against
Central Otago at Alexandra and South Island Colts at Christchurch.’
“Mr Gunson concluded by saying that members of the Walcha Cricket
Association are held in high regard in the cricketing North.”
As a result of winning Northern Tablelands, Walcha played Gunnedah, winners
of the North-West competition for the War Veterans’ Cup, on March 30 and 31.
The match was played at Gunnedah and cars transported the Walcha XI from
Bowden’s Garage from 7am. The Walcha side was Peter Fenwicke (capt), Herb
Laurie, Doug Schrader (wicketkeeper), Roy Chandler, Col Wall, Don Margery,
Neville Holstein, Reynold Mullen, Max Starr, Max Holstein, Les Ingram, R.A.
Laurie (12). Quote: “The 12th man is asked to travel owing to the importance of
the match.” As if a Laurie would turn up a chance to attend a game of cricket!
Walcha’s first combination to qualify for the War Veterans’ Cup unfortunately
lost. Gunnedah turned out a much better track than they had for Herbie Laurie
in the Second XI in 1948. The visitors batted first making a very modest 49 on
what was described as “a perfect wicket” with Herb Laurie the only batsman to
reach double figures, scoring 11 runs (K. Beer 5-20). Gunnedah compiled 305
runs during their stay at the crease (Suttor 78, Hamilton 52, Herden 44; Rennie
Mullen 4-33, Roy Chandler 4-59) and when Walcha were invited to bat again they
found their form too late and made 245 of which Neville Holstein scored 83, Col
Wall 43, Max Holstein 34, Herb Laurie 32 and Peter Fenwicke 25. Neville and
Max Holstein and Herb Laurie would go on to feature in two more War Veterans’
Cup finals, albeit with greater success.
In the 1957-58 season Nowendoc won the right to play Walcha Road in the
consolation final at Round Swamp, a good deal for everyone really when you
consider the normal state of the Swamp ground and that the Road were at the
western extremity of the comp. A feature of the consolation knockout was Cedric
Wright’s 150 for Nowendoc against Glen Morrison. He was not out in Nowendoc’s
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total of 216 and there’s a nice touch to the scorebook with Nowendoc no.11 N.
Styles recorded as “passed out” 0. The Glen replied with 76, Wright taking 4-46
and Don Margery 5-29 the best bowlers for “the red soil boys”. The Golledges had
done the damage for the Road against Colts to reach the consolation final. Colts
compiled 102, C. Golledge 2-26, R. Golledge 3-18 and then Walcha Road replied
with 124 C. Golledge hitting 33. Good to see three different ways of spelling
Golledge in the one scoreboard.
Round Swamp and Riamukka played out the final of the Turton Cup for 195758. The Swamp defeated Commercial convincingly in their semi and Riamukka
defeated Yarrowitch, “but no scores came to hand”. Commercial batted first and
Col Wall, the season’s first century-maker from the week before was the only
batsman to offer any resistance and the only bat to make double figures, scoring
32 out of 59. Alick Bird took 5-25 off seven overs and Roy Chandler 4-13 off three
overs. Swamp then knocked up 232, Chandler 55 equal top-scoring with Doug
Schrader who retired. Max Hayes took 3-29.
In club cricket in 1957-58, Commercial outrighted Nowendoc, Colts just missed
outrighting Walcha Road and Round Swamp easily accounted for Glen Morrison.
Col Wall took 5-16 in Nowendoc’s first innings of 56; Aiden Wall 3-14. Owen
Sweeney top-scored with 57 and John Gillard, the great rugby league player, hit
48 in Commercial’s 3(dec)-174 while Nowendoc scored 105 second time in. Tony
Croft and Gordon Jamieson were performing well for Colts who dismissed Road
for 120 (Tony Croft 5-31). Croft then opened the batting and hit 49 while Jamieson
remained 76 not out and Jeff Makeham 32 not out in Colts’ 214. Walcha Road
were 9-95 in their second dig with Noel Caslick 63 not out and Croft taking 3-37
and Col Davis 4-15. Alick Bird 5-35 and Ray Hoy 4-34 were the only bowlers
Swamp used to roll Glen Morrison for 79. This classic Glen Morrison batting lineup was: Bruce Brazel 12, Jim Farrell 0, Bert Brazel 1, Fred Bowden 1, Ron Brazel
21, Bob Bowden 7, Gordon Brooks, 13, Brian Jamieson 11 not out, Alby Ferris 0,
Clive Jamieson 1, Frank Bowden 10. Round Swamp replied with 171. Harry Hoy
22, Stan Hoy 46, Doug Schrader 28, Ray Hoy 49, Alick Bird 5, Ken Hoy 3, Max
Wall 0, B. Wilson 1, M. Partridge 9, L. Nicholls 5 not out, a young Tony Hoy 0.
Alby Ferris took 4-45. Glen were 7-69 in their second innings (Alick Bird 4-17).
Reference is made to Saturday games from this time as well.
How about this for a game? Two big tons and a total of 551 were the features of
a match between Riamukka and Round Swamp. The Swamp scored 255 of which
Roy Chandler contributed 140. Riamukka took up the challenge and opened with
Neville and Max Holstein, who put on 118 for the first wicket scoring at two runs
a minute. Neville remained 154 not out, Max whacked 64 and Herb Laurie (46)
and Rennie Mullen 27 continued the assault. In the seven-wicket win Riamukka
hit 23 fours and nine sixes.
On the same weekend Colts knocked up 271 (Bill Cole 75 not out, Col Davis
42, Ross Kermode 40 and Tony Croft 31; Dudley Towers 4-97) in a draw with
Commercial. A young Owen Sweeney with 58 for Commercial was starting to
produce the form for which he would become synonymous. Interestingly in the
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game, A. Laurie b D. Towers, a future Australian rugby rep and a future dualstate rugby league representative. In a tough tussle between Walcha Road and
Yarrowitch, the Road gained first-innings points, but Yarrowitch almost pulled
off an outright. Road only scored 62 first up, Jim Boyd, 16 and N. Carter 14 not
out the only batsmen to reach double figures. Stan Chandler 6-20 and Ron Moffitt
2-20 did the damage, but their efforts were in vain, as Yarrowitch only scored 53,
Moffitt at first drop with 26 and Chandler opening with 20 providing nearly all of
them in a scorecard that shows five ducks and a 0 not out. Jim Boyd took 6-20 and
N. Carter 2-27. The Road scored 127 second-time around and Yarrowitch were
only a couple down for 109 with Chandler 75 not out when time ran out.
Stan Chandler was unlucky against Glen Morrison too, in more ways than
one. In the only scoreboard I found where nearly all first names were used to avoid
confusion, Glen Morrison 267: Bruce Brazel 67, Brian Jamieson 0, Fred Bowden
5, Bob Bowden 4, Bert Brazel ret. hurt 71, Ron Brazel 17, Alby Ferris 45, Gordon
Brooks 22, Ron Cameron 4, Frank Bowden 22 not out, Ron Macpherson ? (Ron
Moffitt 6-104, Stan Chandler 2-106) defeated Yarrowitch on first innings 166 (Stan
Chandler hit wicket 114; F. Bowden 5-25) and 5-41 (F. Bowden 4-17).
Don Margery hit 70 and 45 for Nowendoc in their outright over Glen Morrison
for whom Bert Brazel scored 71 out of 113 in the first dig. Margery, later wellknown throughout the north as a wicketkeeper, opened the bowling for Nowendoc
and picked up 4-31 in the first innings and 2-30 in the second. Owen Sweeney
scored 93 in Commercial’s total of 216 (Max Watts 32; Jim Boyd 4-48) in a
Saturday match. Commercial then cleaned up Walcha Road for 67 (Col Wall 7-41,
Dudley Towers 3-26). Three Caslicks played for Walcha Road and batting at no.11
was P. Boyd, perhaps a nine or 10-year-old Duke. Noel Caslick, 70 and Jim Boyd
43 not out in the second dig denied “Commical” an outright. Also on the Saturday
four Bowdens (R, Fred, F and D) two Jamiesons (B and C) along with Alby Ferris,
Bert Brazel, Gordon Brooks (23 and the only bat to reach double figures), Ron
Macpherson and Doug Mansfield for Glen Morrison could only muster 45 (four
ducks and a 0 not out) against a rampaging Gordon Jamieson for Colts (8-26)
and Ross Kermode 2-7. Colts only scored 96, Tony Croft 32 opening and Andrew
Laurie, first drop 35, the only two to reach double figures (four ducks and a 0 not
out again). F. Bowden 6-31 and Clive Jamieson 4-25 did the damage. The Glen
scored 63 in their second innings (Gordon Jamieson 6-28, Eric Stier 4-33) and
Colts were 2-15 when they picked up the outright. Gordon Jamieson had match
figures on 14-54.
Ray Hoy became the sixth batsman to score a ton that season when he notched
117 in Round Swamp’s 234 (Bruce Brazel 4-42). Swamp cleaned up Glen Morrison
for 158 (Ron Brazel 88 not out, Ray Hoy 4-66, Allan Wall 3-41).
Commercial, closing at 5-162 easily outrighted Yarrowitch 57 and 49. Dudley
Towers batted well for 87 not out for Commercial after the rare occurrence of
openers Col Wall and Owen Sweeney both going for ducks. Wall claimed 5-20 in
Yarrowitch’s first innings and Les Hoy had the remarkable figures of 9-21 in the
second, clean-bowling six of them.
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Here’s another good match from 1958 played at the Common. Nowendoc
batted first against Commercial and made 202 (Max Wayte 47; Col Wall 3-55, Max
Watts 3-55) and then Commercial were seven down before hitting the winning
runs (Dudley Towers 83, John Gillard 39, Owen Sweeney 32; Don Margery
4-70). Yarrowitch had a hard time of it in a game against Riamukka in 1958.
Riamukka hit 172 but two batsmen retired (R.A. Laurie 62 and Don Holstein 51;
Stan Chandler 4-69) and then dismissed Yarrowitch for 73 (Graham Tarte 4-14,
Ren Mullen 3-10) and 18 (Ren Mullen 7-4, Willie Watson 3-12).
Colts were unlucky not to outright Nowendoc after Sam Stephens 6-17 and Les
Ingram 3-37 helped roll Nowendoc for 58. Stephens top-scored with 37 for Colts
in their 6(dec)-166. Nowendoc were 9-61 second time around (Gordon Jamieson
5-27). In other interesting matches, Riamukka moved to the top of the comp after
outrighting Glen Morrison. Riamukka made 219 (Herb Laurie 67 not out, Ren
Mullen 60, R. A. Laurie 38) and dismissed The Glen for 92 (Ren Mullen 5-36,
Graham Tarte 3-1) and 113 (R. A. Laurie 4-3). Colts defeated Yarrowitch outright
after declaring at 7-175 (Col Davis 63, Ron Green 33; Stan Chandler 4-56, Ron
Moffitt 3-86) and dismissing Yarrowitch for 70 (Ron Moffitt 23, Stan Chandler
20; Gordon Jamieson 5-20, Ross Kermode 4-3) and 34 (Ron Moffitt 10; Gordon
Jamieson 4-11, Ross Kermode 4-14).
In a match for Riamukka against Glen Morrison in 1957-58 Neville Holstein
opened and scored 103, including 11 boundaries, out of 7(dec)-156. F. Bowden
still managed 4-47 for the Glen who were all out for 67. On the same weekend a
classic Round Swamp line-up Harry Hoy 56, Stan Hoy 11, Roy Chandler 81, Doug
Schrader 17, Ray Hoy 12, L. Partridge 7, Alick Bird 31 not out, Ken Hoy 3 not out,
declared at 6-237 and then dismissed Commercial for 107, (M. Hoy 41; Alick Bird
5-34, Roy Chandler 4-14.)
Neville Holstein’s scrapbook page with these scoreboards marked 1958 also
show that he and Reynold Mullen from Riamukka along with Roy Chandler
from Round Swamp were chosen to represent Northern Tablelands against
North-West, and that he (Neville) would be vice-captain. Another clipping shows
Neville gaining selection in a combined Hunter Valley, North-West, Northern
Tablelands side to play Combined Coast in Inverell on January 11 and 12 and that
the match would be watched by state selectors and the Combined Country to play
Metropolitan was to be chosen after the match. Finally, “Peter Fenwicke scored his
first try on the Wallabies’ tour of the British Isles against Ulster on Saturday last”.
Association president Viv Partridge was still enjoying his cricket and playing
for Commercial top-scored with 49 not out against Glen Morrison in a Saturday
match at the Common. Commercial totalled 201 with Aiden Wall 43 and Les Hoy
38 offering support. Clive Jamieson took 7-45 for the Glen, who were dismissed
for 116 with Alby Ferris scoring 61 and Max Watts taking 5-65.
The leading averages at one stage of what I think must be during the 1957-58
season make interesting reading and were a pointer to the strengths of the relative
sides: Nev Holstein (Riamukka) 69.60, Owen Sweeney (Commercial) 58.16, Stan
Hoy (Round Swamp) 54.30, Roy Chandler (Round Swamp) 53.80, Harry Hoy
107
(Round Swamp) 47.60, Max Holstein (Riamukka) 44.40, Herb Laurie (Riamukka)
37.50 and Bill Cole (Colts) 36.25. Bowling: Col Davis (Colts) 53 runs, 11 wickets
for 4.9; Ross Kermode (Colts) 64, 12, 5.3; Gordon Jamieson (Colts) 190, 30, 6.3;
Col Wall (Commercial) 201, 28, 7.3.
Max Holstein retired after making 143 as Riamukka knocked up 292 against
Nowendoc, who replied with 113. He hit 17 fours and five sixes. Riamukka’s
opening four in order were Neville Holstein 14, Max Holstein 143 retired, Herb
Laurie 49 retired and Rennie Mullen 45 retired. Cedric Wright scored 47 for
Nowendoc and B. Laurie (Bruce or R.A.?) took 3-16. Round Swamp cleaned up
Yarrowitch for 94 of which Ron Moffitt contributed 62 and Ray Hoy took 7-26
before hitting 5-234. Roy Chandler hit 13 fours in 96 not out and then picked up
6-29 in Yarrowitch’s second innings of 57.
It was during the 1957-58 season that WDCA assistant recording secretary Ron
Green said captains must sign their scorebooks and state whether the result was a
draw, three-pointer (first-innings win) or four-pointer (outright). It was not a new
rule, just that captains had been lax. Forfeiting teams were penalised two points
and the team they forfeited to gained the highest number of points scored on that
day. The interesting thing about this is that teams were actually starting to forfeit,
meaning the player numbers were down. There was an interesting twist to Ron’s
exhortations, and it came at inter-district level. Walcha were robbed of a Northern
Tablelands title in 1958-59 after being told not to worry about putting the result in.
In 1957-58, Glen Morrison and Nowendoc were to play what I assume was
the A.G. Blomfield Consolation final at the Common after The Glen had a 105-run
win over Walcha Road in the semi-final and Nowendoc outrighted Yarrowitch.
The A.G. Blomfield Cup is a Consolation knock-out for teams beaten out of a
place in the major premiership honours. There were no Boyds in the Road team,
but it did contain two Nattys, two Caslicks, a Henry, a Scott and an Usback. Alby
Ferris took 3-2 for The Glen, which also comprised three Brazels, four Bowdens,
two Mansfields and Mick Bullen. On the same weekend, Nowendoc cleaned up
Yarrowitch for 35 in the first innings, Dick Wayte taking 5-7, and then replied
with 125 (Ron Moffitt 5-29, Charlie Moore 3-24). They completed the outright by
dismissing Yarrowitch for 62 in the second innings.
The final of the 1957-58 season was played between Riamukka (minor
premiers) and Colts after the semi-finals in which Riamukka beat Commercial
and Colts defeated Round Swamp. Gordon Jamieson dominated for Colts and was
56 not out in their total of 159, Alick Bird taking 5-46 and Roy Chandler 3-79.
Swamp were all out for 120 (Harry Hoy 35) Jamieson taking 5-59 and Col Davis
5-26. R.A. Laurie took 4-16 in helping dismiss Commercial for 75 (John Gillard
26) and then Riamukka had some batting practice, Neville Holstein retiring on
104 and Ren Mullen retiring on 28 in the 168 total.
Riamukka ended up premiers for the 1957-58 season, defeating Colts outright
by 149 in the final played at The Park. Neville Holstein scored 42 in Riamukka’s
first inning of 127 in which Colts only used two bowlers, Sammy Stephens, 7-57
and Gordon Jamieson 3-66. Colts hit 112, R.A. Laurie bowling first change netting
108
5-35 and Rennie Mullen 4-15. Herb Laurie and Neville Holstein swapped their
positions in the order for the second dig, Herbie opening and scoring 66, Neville
coming in at first drop and scoring 73, while Max Holstein moved from opener
to no.4 four and hit 74 in Riamukka’s second-innings 255 (Sam Stephens 6-81,
Gordon Jamieson 3-84). Colts only managed 121 in their second dig, (Gordon
Jamieson 28, Andy Fletcher 21; Rennie Mullen 4-28.)
Neville Holstein was selected to play for Country against Metropolitan at the
SCG in 1958. In a Northern Tablelands win over Kyogle, Rennie Mullen hit 29
and picked up 6-42.
The 1957-58 averages were taken out by Roy Chandler (Round Swamp)
batting and Gordon Jamieson (Colts) bowling. Chandler averaged 67 and also
had the highest aggregate with 670 runs, which included two centuries and
a 96 not out. Neville Holstein was second in the batting with 62. Jamieson not
only easily won the bowling averages, he took by far the most wickets with 61.
His best performances in two-innings games were 14-54 and 13-24. Bowlers
had to take 15 wickets to qualify and batsmen had to play in two-thirds of the
games. Twenty-three batsmen qualified and 19 bowlers and here are the top 10.
Batting: Roy Chandler (Round Swamp) innings 11, not out 1, highest score 140,
aggregate 670, average 67.00; Neville Holstein (Riamukka) 10,1, 154, 558, 62.00;
Herb Laurie (Riamukka) 10, 3, 70, 354 50.57; Max Holstein (Riamukka) 10, 0,
143, 427, 42.70; Owen Sweeney (Commercial) 12, 0, 93, 506, 42.22; Bill Cole
(Colts) 12, 4, 75, 317, 39.62; Harry Hoy (Round Swamp) 13, 2, 117, 432, 39.20; Don
Margery (Nowendoc) 15, 1, 152, 519, 34.60; Ron Brazel (Glen Morrison) 11, 1,
88, 316, 31.60; Cedric Wright (Nowendoc) 12, 0, 78, 378, 31.50. Bowling: Gordon
Jamieson (Colts) wickets 61, runs 353, average 5.78; R.A. Laurie (Riamukka) 16,
152, 9.50; Col Wall (Commercial) 51, 499, 9.76; Reynold Mullen (Riamukka) 34,
355, 10.44; Ray Hoy (Round Swamp) 41, 437, 10.65; Roy Chandler 39, 471, 12.07;
Clive Jamieson (Glen Morrison) 26, 352, 13.53; Herb Laurie (Riamukka) 19, 262,
13.73; Dick Wayte (Nowendoc) 17, 335, 13.82; Alick Bird 43, 596, 13.86.
In inter-district cricket in 1957-58 a still young Neville Holstein captained
Walcha for the first of the season’s Northern Tablelands Council matches. Against
Inverell at The Park he accepts the responsibility masterfully, with some help from
Roy Chandler. Holstein sent Inverell in and they were rolled for 135, sundries
top-scoring with 25, and what a varied attack Walcha used. Ren Mullen (1-22)
opened, no surprise there, but he was partnered with the new ball by Round
Swamp medium-slow Alick Bird (0-6). Bird opened the bowling for Swamp,
but it’s interesting that Holstein opened with him in an inter-district Firsts game.
Colts’ opening quick Sam Stephens came on first change (1-12) before leggie Roy
Chandler (6-59 off 14) and Commercial’s Col Wall, another club opening bowler
(2-11), did the damage. The Park had been laid with a new antbed during the week
and shire engineer Bruce Bell and “curator” Bill Smith were interested onlookers
and were offered the opportunity to bowl the first ball. From all reports the wicket
played well under the coir mats and it was a good day to turn up anyway, Holstein
christening the pitch with a peerless 83 (although the published scoreboard has it at
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81 and his own handwritten scores don’t correspond), putting on 101 with Chandler
who was batting at no.3 and backing up his bowling heroics. Rain stopped play
just before Holstein was out with Walcha needing 27 to win and a draw looked
on the cards, but the rain cleared and Mullen soon cleared the fence with a six for
the winning stroke: Col Wall 2, Nev Holstein 83, Roy Chandler 38 not out, Ren
Mullen 18 not out. Comment at the ground suggested Inverell’s opening bowler
H. Morse had a suspect action at times. He took 0-60, but I wonder what The Park
“hillites” would have made of Murali?
Neville Holstein and Roy Chandler were at it again at inter-district level in
1957-58 in a game against Guyra. Holstein hit 14 boundaries in a match-winning
100 after Chandler claimed 7-35 off 10 overs. Guyra scored 118, Ren Mullen (1-21)
opening with Alick Bird (1-17), Col Wall (0-14) bowled first change followed by
Chandler and Sam Stephens. Interestingly enough, one of Chandler’s victims was
stumped by John Gillard, showing the depth in the wicket keeping stocks. Walcha
declared at 6-217, Holstein opening with Don Margery (18) and receiving support
from Col Wall (46) and Herb Laurie (21). Guyra were 4-32 in their second dig,
Chandler at it again with 2-13.
The Seconds didn’t have as successful a day in their match against Glen Innes
on the Common. D. Newsome 85 and E. Newsome 30 did the damage for Glen
Innes in their total of 254 and Walcha used nine bowlers: Gordon Jamieson 2-29,
Don Holstein 1-39, Ron Green 0-30, Col Davis 0-27, Cedric Wright 2-27, R.A.
Laurie 0-8, Ross Kermode 2-16, Aiden Wall 1-19 and Gordon Brooks 0-15. Bill
Cole 56 and Jamieson 43 gave Walcha some hope, but they were all out for 174.
In 1957-58 Walcha Seconds outclassed Inverell, and no wonder when you
look at the strength of the side, which would be a first XI in any other era or
any other town. Inverell were dismissed for 135, Ronnie Moffitt, took 4-11 off
five overs after coming on third-change behind Gordon Jamieson, Don Holstein,
Frank Bowden and R.A. Laurie. This was a welcome change for Ronnie to see his
efforts not in vain after his sterling efforts for Yarrowitch were often in defeats. A
young R.A. Laurie and Ken Hoy both picked up 2-20. There were some interesting
names in the Inverell line-up, not the least Stan Gilchrist, who would go on to a
distinguished career in bush cricket and to father and feed the bowling machine
for Adam. As usual, Walcha included a leggie in Eric Stier, who also opened the
batting with Archer Croft’s son Tony. The Walcha batting card read: Eric Stier
0, Tony Croft 38, Dudley Towers 7, Noel Caslick 14, Gordon Jamieson 20, Ken
Hoy 7, Ron Moffitt 0, R.A. Laurie not out 26, Don Holstein not out 18. That’s
an interesting mix with players from Colts, Commercial, Walcha Road, Ingleba,
Round Swamp, Yarrowitch and Riamukka.
In other inter-district games Walcha Firsts continued on their merry way with
wins over Inverell again and Guyra to put them back in front of the Northern
Tablelands Council competition. Walcha only scored 127 against Inverell (Col
Wall 25, Don Margery 21) but then cleaned up Inverell for 116 (Sam Stephens
5-40, Roy Chandler 5-29). Guyra could only manage 130 (Ren Mullen 5-32, Roy
Chandler 4-37) and Walcha hit 8-134 (Max Holstein 53 not out, Don Margery 28).
110
Walcha played Armidale in the last match of the Southern Zone Tablelands
competition at The Park and only had to draw to make the final. The match was
to decide the Southern Zone winners and the team was Nev Holstein (capt), Max
Holstein, Herb Laurie, Ren Mullen, Don Margery, Doug Schrader, Roy Chandler,
Bill Cole, Sam Stephens, Harry Hoy, Cedric Wright, Owen Sweeney (12), Gordon
Jamieson (13). The Second XI to meet Armidale at the Common seems like the
one in the yarn above: Ron Green, Aiden Wall, Noel Caslick, B. Brazel, R.A.
Laurie, Max Wayte, Lindsay Margery, Don Willingham, Owen Sweeney, Gordon
Jamieson, Tony Croft, Don Holstein (12), Col Davis (13).
Walcha went on to win the Tablelands Zone of the Council competition in
1957-58 after holding Armidale to a draw at The Park. The match created a lot
on interest and there was a big crowd on hand to watch. Armidale had to win
the match whereas Walcha, with their superior position on the table, only had to
draw. The visitors batted first and declared at 8-244 after 175 minutes, captain Ron
Madden scoring 52. Sam Stephens took 4-73 and Roy Chandler 4-106. Walcha
were 6-201 after 180 minutes, Herb Laurie scoring 67, Don Margery 34 and Bill
Cole 30 not out. Walter Taylor was still playing for Armidale.
In 1957-58 Walcha lost the Northern Tablelands final played at Inverell. Sammy
Stephens took 6-47 off 21 overs unchanged, and Roy Chandler 4-21, dismissing
Inverell for 91. Walcha only managed 76 with Neville Holstein the only batsman
to reach double figures with 13.
During the winter Peter Fenwicke made his rugby Test debut against the All
Blacks at the SCG. And now while his Walcha cricket mates were toiling for
Northern Tablelands supremacy, Peter was playing rugby Tests against Wales at
Cardiff Arms Park, Ireland at Lansdowne Road and England at Twickenham.
Roy Chandler had the honour of making the first century of the 1958-59 season
by scoring 110 for Round Swamp in their win over Commercial in the opening of
the Turton Cup knock-out comp. Ken Hoy, 34, and Harry Hoy 30 helped Chandler
in Swamp’s 223. Ron Moffitt is playing for Swamp, Yarrowitch having gone into
recession. Col Wall took 5-33. Commercial replied with 172, Owen Sweeney 48,
Col Davis 35 not out and Dudley Towers, 33, the best while Chandler, who else,
was the best Swamp trundler with 4-71. Stan Chandler, another Yarrowitch refugee
also played for Swamp. Nowendoc’s 88 (Don Margery 38; Cleve Scott 5-30, Jim
Boyd 4-44) was enough to beat Walcha Road, 44 (Jim Boyd 19 the only to reach
double figures; Don Margery 5-17, Cedric Wright 2-21, three run-outs). Colts 129
(Ron Green 42; Bob Bowden 3-36) defeated Glen Morrison 43 (Lance Kermode
15 not out; Sam Stephens 3-8, Gordon Jamieson 2-18, old-stager Jim Fletcher 3-3
and Peter Fenwicke 2-10). Not a bad attack that one of Colts. Ingleba forfeited to
Riamukka yet the Glen Morrison team seems to contain some players normally
associated with Ingleba. Gordon Jamieson, Ron Green and Lance Kermode all
turned out for Ingleba the next season. Sam Stephens was in good form when
Colts beat Round Swamp on The Park to make the final of the Turton Cup. The
Swamp were all out for 49, Stephens 5-25, Les Ingram 3-18, Gordon Jamieson 2-2.
Despite Ingleba’s forfeit to them, Riamukka went on to win the 1958-59 Turton
111
Cup, defeating Colts by 77 runs on the first innings. The Holstein brothers Max,
Neville and Don played a big role in Riamukka’s success, in a total of 8-218 Max
scored 78, Neville 59 and Don 25 and then Don took 4-35 and Max 3-49 in Colts’
141 (Tony Croft 38, Peter Fenwicke 30). Commercial had an easy 160-run win over
Glen Morrison in the consolation knock-out final at the Common. The Glen were
all out for 78, Col Davis taking 4-9 off four overs and in Commercial’s 238 Owen
Sweeney retired after a neat 50 and John Gillard hit 40 of his 45 in boundaries (two
sixes) and D. Brazel took 4-35. The Glen comprised four Bowdens, three Brazels,
two Camerons, Don Kermode and a Bullen.
The attacking nature of the captains and the attempt to take outright points
was never more in evidence than the start of the 1958-59 season. Walcha Road
had a first-innings win over Glen Morrison although in a pointer to both the spirit
and seriousness of the game, both teams batted twice. Glen Morrison made 150
(Gordon Brooks 50, B. Brazel 33; N. Carter 6-77), Walcha Road replied with 187
(Jim Boyd 65, Noel Caslick 40; Alby Ferris 3-51), then the Glen declared at 2-157
(Gordon Brooks 66) and the Road completed the day at 3-38 (Noel Caslick 33).
Round Swamp outrighted Nowendoc. It was close after the first innings in which
Nowendoc scored 84 (Alick Bird 5-32, Ray Hoy 3-21) and Swamp replied with
86 (Don Margery 6-32, Cedric Wright 3-52). Nowendoc managed 77 secondtime around (Cedric Wright 38; Alick Bird 5-31, Roy Chandler 4-46) and Swamp
replied with 6-78 (Don Margery 4-39). Riamukka 179 (Nev Holstein 40; Gordon
Jamieson 4-42,) defeated Colts 100 (Eric Stier 29, Sam Stephens 27; R.A. Laurie
3-19).
Roy Chandler, batting first drop for Round Swamp, retired on 107, Doug
Schrader batting at no.4 retired on 72 and Jack Wake at no.10 was 32 not out in
Swamp’s 285. They dismissed Walcha Road for 96 (R. Yarry 26, Alick Bird 3-35,
Jack Wake 3-8, K. Hoy 3-16).
In an early club game the name Fred Roper appears again bowling for
Commercial. He took 4-50 and Viv Riley 6-33 in Round Swamp’s 101, but
Commercial were all our for 80 (Roy Chandler 6-25, Alick Bird 4-38). More scores
from 1958-59 and some interesting symmetry when Round Swamp outrighted
Walcha Road by dismissing the Road for 80 (Jim Boyd 21; Ray Hoy 8-38, Alick
Bird 2-38) and then declaring at 1-173 (Harry Hoy 71 not out, Stan Hoy 71) and
then dismissing the Road for 94 in the second dig (Vern Henry 31; Alick Bird
4-0, Ray Hoy 4-36, Ken Hoy 2-18). Swamp easily hit up the two runs required for
outright points. Riamukka 175 (Herb Laurie 50, Peter Laurie 40; Col Wall 7-48)
defeated Commercial 156 (Owen Sweeney 80). Colts, 240, had an easy win over
Nowendoc batting first, 103 (Don Margery 51 another h.o.w., Lindsay Margery 22;
Eric Stier 4-17, Col Davis 5-3) and 2-37 lost to Colts 240 (Sam Stephens 64 ret, Bill
Cole 36, Jeff Makeham 33).
The stars came out to play in 1958-59. Herb Laurie scored 116 not out and Don
Margery 58 against Colts and then Peter Fenwicke’s 85 wasn’t enough to lift them
to victory. It was a draw, as it was again for Colts when Dudley Towers scored 104
for Commercial against them. Colts were 5-95 at close, Fred Roper 4-38.
112
A clipping from 1958-59 under ‘‘The Stars’’ for batting and bowling lists Herb
Laurie 116 not out, Dudley Towers 104, Peter Fenwicke 85 and Don Margery 58
with Ron Green 5-28, M. Smith 4-21, R.A. Laurie 4-57 and Fred Roper 4-38. What
an extraordinary collection of sporting ability and with Fred, spanning from 1931
to 1959.
Colts knocked Walcha Road over for 60, Sam Stephens 4-25, Les Ingram 5-27
and Peter Fenwicke 1-0, but Jim Boyd 6-26 and Noel Caslick 4-21 restricted Colts
to 67. The Road scored 57 in the second dig (Les Ingram 6-23, Sam Stephens
3-17) and Colts were 2-64 to win outright. Round Swamp outrighted Ingleba the
same weekend after Ray Hoy took 6-21 in Ingleba’s 62. Harry Hoy, 52, and Doug
Schrader 53 opened for Swamp and they ended up with 168 (Fred Bowden 4-27).
Ingleba scored 121 in their second innings (Gordon Brooks 49) and Round Swamp
were 1-8 for four points. A valiant 7-67 wasn’t enough for Cedric Wright after his
Nowendoc were out for 130 and Commercial replied with 163 (Aiden Wall 30).
Cedric Wright scored 111 in Nowendoc’s 172 (Eric Stier 6-38) but Colts were
never worried, Peter Fenwicke hitting 96 in their 5-180. Also for 1959 a “Stars”
column (1958-59 I suspect) Bill Snow 112 retired, Cedric Wright 111, Col Davis
98, Peter Fenwicke 96, Jim Allison 85 not out, Nev Holstein 79, Max Holstein
61; Will Watson 6-22, Eric Stier 6-38, Gordon Jamieson 5-42, R.A. Laurie 4-45.
Ingleba and Commercial played a beauty when Commercial were all out
for 80 (Gordon Jamieson 6-30) and then Ingleba scraped home with 83 (Aiden
Wall 6-6). Aiden Wall’s 6-6 made “The Stars” list along with Andy Laurie’s 6-4,
Gordon Jamieson’s 6-30, K. Hoy’s 4-15, Alby Ferris’s 4-17, Ron Green’s 4-35 and
Roy Chandler’s 4-38. Ingleba’s form was a bit hot and cold and Andrew Laurie’s
6-4 came in a game when they were dismissed by Colts for 13 in 11.1 overs. Les
Ingram took 3-8. Ingleba bowled well, Ron Green 4-35, Gordon Jamieson 3-24,
Alby Ferris 4-17, but Bill Cole hit 63 in Colts’ 116. Ingleba scored 65 secondtime around, Peter Fenwicke 5-25. In other 1958-59 games Neville Holstein hit
a brilliant 125 not out in a draw with Commercial who had totalled a creditable
236 thanks to Col Wall’s 81 and John Gillard’s 27. Riamukka were 1-172 in reply.
In 1958-59 Riamukka needed 112 runs in 88 minutes with six wickets in hand
to beat Colts in a semi-final of the major premiership. The match had been stopped
by rain after Colts batted first and made 166 (Sam Stephens 54, Bill Cole 53; R.A.
Laurie 3-32). Riamukka started off badly losing Don Margery for 1, Bob Laurie
for duck, Herb Laurie for 9 and Max Holstein for 7. The responsibility was with
Neville Holstein, 36 not out. Sam Stephens had 4-11. It was all over pretty quickly
the next week when Neville was out for 47 and Riamukka all out for 74. Stephens’
final figures were 7-20.
Colts were the major premiers or News Cup winners for 1958-59 over Round
Swamp, who were minor premiers or Yalgoo Shield winners. Riamukka won
the Turton Cup for the knock-out at the start of the season and the R.M. Croft
Consolation Cup, for teams knocked out in the first round of the Turton Cup, was
won by Commercial. The A.G. Blomfield Cup, for teams eliminated in the first
round of the News Cup, was won by Ingleba.
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The 1958-59 final was an epic played over three weekends between Colts
and Round Swamp. Colts put on 290 of which Peter Fenwicke hit 127, including
15 fours and two sixes, and Eric Stier 83, including three fours and three sixes.
Interestingly enough Swamp opened the bowling with leg-spinner Roy Chandler,
at that stage recognised as the best of his type in the Northern Tablelands, and
the faster action he used for the duties proved futile. When he resorted to his
more natural flighted deliveries, he had more success and ended up taking 4-89.
Alick Bird was the other opening bowler (2-75) while Yarrowitch refugees Stan
Chandler (2-42) and Ron Moffitt (1-30) picked up wickets along with E. Hoy (134). Fenwicke didn’t offer a chance, but dropped catches didn’t help Swamp’s
cause. Colts first innings: G. Gibson 22, Bill Monie 5, Eric Stier 83, Jeff Makeham
7, Bill Cole 0, Peter Fenwicke 127, Sam Stephens 29, Les Ingram 0, Andy Fletcher
4 not out, Tony Chapman 5, Andy Laurie 3. Round Swamp were 3-42 at stumps
on day one, Sam Stephens clean-bowling openers Stan Chandler (4) and Doug
Schrader (6). The Swampies continued their innings the following Sunday and
finished with 147: Stan Chandler 4, Doug Schrader 6, Roy Chandler 8, Harry Hoy
28, Alick Bird 42, Ron Moffitt 11, Ken Hoy 1, Stan Hoy 0, L. Partridge 18, E. Hoy
0 and Max Wall 10 not out, Sundries 19. Fenwicke continued his remarkable feats
by taking 6-27, Sam Stephens 2-39, Les Ingram 1-33 and Eric Stier 1-1 the other
wicket-takers. Colts batted again and tallied 152, Sam Stephens continuing his
good match by scoring 53 while Fenwicke, who else, chipped in with 46. Swamp
changed their attack for the second innings opening again with Alick Bird (357), but joined by Stan Chandler (1-13). Roy Chandler came on first change (1-38)
while E. Hoy (3-27) and Ron Moffitt (2-19) were the other successful bowlers.
Swamp finished at 4-17 needing 278 to win. So play went to a third weekend and
Colts ended up taking the title. The Swamp only added another 59 runs to their
second innings, which ended up tallying 76, Doug Schrader the best bat with 27.
Eric Stier took 3-5, Les Ingram 3-27 and Sam Stephens 2-33.
Batting and bowling honours for 1958-59, went respectively to Herb Laurie of
Riamukka – whose aggregate of 474 was also the highest – with 52.6, and Alby
Ferris, Ingleba, 17 wickets for 60 runs at 3.01. Ferris stopped Herb from almost
completing a fine double as he finished second in the bowling with 29 wickets for
235 runs at 7.4. Batting averages of more than 30: Herb Laurie 474 runs from nine
innings with two not outs at 52.6; Neville Holstein 348, 8, 1, 43.5; Peter Fenwicke
341, 8, 3, 42.62; Bill Cole 259, 7, 3, 37.0; Stan Chandler 361, 10, 0 36.1. Bowling
averages under 10: Alby Ferris 60 runs scored for 17 wickets at 3.01; Herb Laurie
235, 29, 7.4; Sam Stephens 285, 37, 7.7; Alick Bird 295, 37, 7.9; Viv Riley 179, 22,
8.13. Alby Ferris’s bowling average of 3.01 from this season in which he took 17
wickets still stands. Next best would be Aiden Wall with 3.34 when he took 41
wickets. Roy Chandler has the bowling aggregate of 78 wickets.
In a 1958-59 inter-district Seconds match at the Common, Armidale closed aat
5-202 and dismissed Walcha for 154 (Gordon Jamieson 60, R.A. Laurie 33). This
was a strong Second XI with Ron Green, Owen Sweeney, Tony Croft, Gordon
Jamieson, B. Brazel, Aiden Wall, Don Holstein and R.A. Laurie and Noel Caslick,
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Max Wayte and Don Willingham. On the tour north in 1958-59 the Seconds lost
both their matches, outright to Inverell and on the first innings to Glen Innes. It
wasn’t a bad side and Inverell were restricted to 144 (F. Bowden 3-19, Aiden Wall
2-33, R. A. Laurie 2-16, Ronnie Green 0-32, Noel Caslick 2-15 and Max Wayte
1-22). But Walcha were cleaned up for 79 and 51 (Noel Caslick 34).
Against Glen Innes Ronnie Green carried his bat for 57 in Walcha’s 7-98
and Glen scored 187. The future grandfather of two of Walcha’s best cricketers
struggled for form on the trip. Don Willingham scored a duck in the first dig
against Inverell, four not out in the second, and then was out for two against Glen
Innes. The Seconds’ form was inconsistent. They had an outright over Glen Innes
at The Park, which was more indicative of the standard of cricket during the period.
The introduction of some of the greats of Walcha cricket through the Seconds
and mixing them with some hard heads was a long-held and productive system.
Glen Innes hit 99 in their first dig (Cedric Wright 1-17, Col Wall 2-22, Col Davis
2-19, Dudley Towers 3-23, Ron Green 1-15). Walcha replied with 136. Owen
Sweeney (29, top score) opened with B. Brazel (20), Col Wall batted at first drop,
Dudley Towers at no.4, Aiden Wall was 26 not out coming in at no.7 and Lance
Kermode, batting at no.9 was run out for 18. Glen Innes hit 86 in their second
innings (Ron Green 5-28) and Walcha replied with 5-58, Ron Green (30) opening
with Cedric Wright, while Towers came in at no.3, Robert Sweeney, who batted
at no.10 in the first innings came in at no.4 and remained 18 not out while Noel
Caslick (batting at no.11 in the first innings) came in at no.5 and Lance Kermode
was promoted to no.6. How much potential in that side?
Again bolstered by the return of some well-credentialled players against
Inverell in 1959, Walcha rattled up a creditable 7-322 including a brilliant
unconquered 112 from Bill Snow, but Inverell batted well too for a draw and
finished on 5-213. That’s not a bad day’s cricket, 12 wickets for 535 runs.
In an early Tablelands match in 1958-59 Walcha Firsts went down to Inverell
at The Park. Inverell batted first and closed at 5-282 (J. Henderson 93, Reg Finney
88 not out; Roy Chandler 3-90) and Walcha were all out for 195 (Nev Holstein 78,
Bill Cole 32). In the away trip Walcha, 158 (Nev Holstein 46) drew with Inverell
4-89. Guyra were all out for 113 (Peter Fenwicke 4-19) and Walcha had a fairly
easy win, John Gillard having a productive weekend opening, scoring 28 against
Inverell and 24 against Guyra. But the worrying signs were there with the Seconds
when only seven men took the field against Glen Innes and they only managed
28. Walcha rustled up three more men the next day at Inverell and managed 73
(Harvey Yabsley 38 not out) and Bob Bowden bowled well for 6-37 but Inverell
won easily. I’m wondering if this wasn’t the period when Walcha became serious
about its youth policy again.
Just as The Wanderer in 1866 encountered Walcha cricketers on the tear, a
visitor to the New Royal Hotel at the end of the 1958-59 season, say March 1959,
may have encountered a similar situation. Certainly the toasts were coming thick
and fast at the annual presentation night. Walcha cricket had plenty to celebrate.
The dinner was ‘‘capably chaired’’ by WDCA President Viv Partridge and
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apologies were received from Cec Macdonald, Fred Roper, Peter Fenwicke, Herb
and Bob Laurie, Earl Hogan and Dave McHattan.
‘‘It was unanimously decided by those present to make a presentation of a
cricket bat to Mr Neville Holstein from the association for his forthcoming
Malayan tour.
‘‘All present were loud in their praise of the attractively arranged and tasty
buffet-style dinner put on by Mr Nick Cooney and staff.
‘‘One minute’s silence was observed in respect to the late Mr R.B. Laurie.
‘‘Proceedings began with the toast to The Queen.
‘‘The toast to Cricket was proposed by Mr Jim Fletcher, who said that the
past year was one of the finest since the pre-War, with two players chosen for the
Malaya tour. In conclusion, Mr Fletcher emphasised spirit and approach to the
game was the most important.
‘‘The game would not go far without our supporters and donors,’’ said Mr Roy
Chandler proposing the toast to the Trophy Donors and Supporters and in replying
Mr Dick Croft said he used to play in one of Walcha’s teams that usually finished
around the bottom of the list, and this had prompted him to give the consolation
trophy. He also congratulated Neville Holstein and Peter Fenwicke, who he said
were putting Walcha on the map.
‘‘Mr A. Ferris also supported Mr Croft.
‘‘The toast to the Winners of Trophies was given by Mr Jack Hicks of
Nowendoc team and was responded to by Messrs J. Dawson (Walcha Road), Andy
Fletcher (Colts) and Alick Bird (Round Swamp).
‘‘In extending a hearty welcome to the visitors Mr Neville Holstein proposed
the toast to The Visitors and Messrs J.L.M. Campbell and Neville Makeham
responded.
‘‘The toast to The Press was proposed by Mr Sam Stephens and replied to by
Mr. C. Cooper.
‘‘The Kindred Sporting Bodies toast was given by Mr Harvey Yabsley who
mentioned that young players should be urged to play cricket because the game
gave them a grounding in team spirit which would be of great help in other sports.
‘‘In replying on behalf of the kindred sporting bodies Mr Doug Laurie said
that without being biased, one of Walcha’s football codes had produced one of
the best sportsmen in the state, namely Peter Fenwicke, and for a small town like
Walcha to produce an Australian captain like Peter, was an amazing thing.
‘‘The toast to The Caterers was proposed by Mr K. Byrne and Mr Nick Cooney
suitably responded.’’
There’s more toast here than breakfast at a Scout jamboree. Definite echoes of
the carryings-on in 1866. In his president’s report at that dinner Viv Partridge said
that with the exception of perhaps one team, largely due to insufficient members,
the standard of play was fairly even and very enjoyable cricket resulted. The
season “had been quite successful with seven teams competing”.
This report, and the night in general, takes us back and takes us forward. Back
to the 1860s and the boisterous post-cricket nights of toasts and celebrating sport
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for sport’s sake. Forward to the worrying trend of weakened teams and a drop in
player numbers. Pre and post-World War II there had been 30-plus teams. The
standard and the representative players are still there in the late-1950s, but the
player numbers are not. Seven teams, and one of them struggling, would this be
the future? Harvey Yabsley’s words are important. A teacher at the new secondary
department of Walcha Central School, he and fellow teachers Glen Coulton and Les
Ingram, all well-credentialled cricketers, were instrumental in getting the school
to play. Whereas traditionally “the apprenticeship” for youngsters was merely
being at the ground and making up the numbers, now schoolboys had their own
matches. Eventually Walcha entered into the New England junior competition.
The tradition of making up the numbers in senior cricket has never really died,
but having regular games for school-aged kids has been one of Walcha’s greatest
advantages.
Colts were the major premiers or News Cup winners for 1958-59 over Round
Swamp, who were minor premiers or Yalgoo Shield winners. Riamukka won
the Turton Cup for the knock-out at the start of the season and the R.M. Croft
Consolation Cup, for teams knocked out in the first round of the Turton Cup, was
won by Commercial. The A.G. Blomfield Cup, for teams that didn’t qualify for the
News Cup finals, was won by Ingleba “another vastly improved team with quite a
few young players coming through”. Viv Partridge continued: “In the inter-town
competition Walcha gave a very good account of itself and managed to tie with
Inverell in the premiership of the Northern Tablelands. Inverell were declared the
winners as no results were handed in by our Association. This was a very bad
mistake and prevented our players from participating in a well-earned semi-final,
or even final, for the War Veterans’ Cup. [This corroborates Herb Laurie’s yarn,
because Ron Green was joint recording secretary with Blue Hogan.]
“It is pleasing to note that we have two players in our area who were considered
good enough to be picked for the tour of Malaya. These boys were Neville Holstein
and Peter Fenwicke. Unfortunately Peter is unable to make the trip. I wish Neville
every success and am sure he will compile a century or two.”
The 1958-59 batting average was won by Herb Laurie with 52.6, from an
aggregate of 474 runs, also the highest. The runner-up was Neville Holstein with
348 runs at 43.5, both from Riamukka. Alby Ferris was the winner of the C. H.
Macdonald Trophy for the bowling average, taking 17 wickets at the extraordinary
average of 3.01. Fred Roper was congratulated on his efforts as treasurer, and Ron
Green as assistant recording secretary whose job was made awkward by several
“very lax” club secretaries.
Neville Holstein, then aged 22, was picked for the Emus’ tour to Malaya in July
of 1959. He had been selected for Combined Country in 1958 and 1959. Holstein’s
selection came as a climax to a very successful sporting week for Walcha. Three
rugby league players, John Gillard (cap), John Murray and Trevor Baker were
picked in the Northern team, and in rugby union Peter Fenwicke was again picked
as Country captain along with Jock Litchfield, John Payne and Andrew Laurie.
Interestingly enough, in 1959 Peter Fenwicke played cricket for Combined No.2,
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who defeated Combined No.1 team in a Country Week trial at Narrabri. Also in
1958, Betty Holstein was seeded number two behind Jan Lehane for the Australian
junior tennis championships.
I’ve quoted part of this report in the previous chapter in relation to Sunny
Jim Mackay, but it’s probably worth revisiting to give some context to what
was happening in Walcha in the late 1950s. It’s headed “Walcha Turns Out Top
Sportsmen” and was run on the eve of Peter Fenwicke leading the Combined
Country rugby union side into battle.
“Walcha is only a small town of about 1700 population with little more than
2500 in the district yet it is now, and always has been, rich in sportsmen.
“The Australian captain and leader of Combined Country in tomorrow’s
fixture, Peter Fenwicke, has represented New England and Central Northern since
1953.
“Then he worked his way into the State team and finally into the Australian
side.
“With his appointment as captain of the Australian Test side he reached the
highest position Rugby has to offer.
“In addition to his football ability Fenwicke excels at cricket.
“But he is not the only sportsman from Walcha to reach the top.
“Don Lisle, W. Laycock, J. Ireland and G.C. Stevens have all played Union
for NSW, while J.N. MacKay (sic) represented Australia at cricket in the early
nineteen hundreds (sic).
“Norman Roy won the lightweight boxing championship of NSW, while
Dudley Towers competed for his State in the Australian sprint championships.
“Walcha has produced three State tennis players also. Elaine, Betty and
Lynette Holstein all played for NSW.
“Elaine and Betty, as juniors, captained the Wilson Cup team, and Betty only
recently toured New Zealand with an Australian team.
“There probably are others way back in the early days who also made the big
time, but Walcha would claim that even those that come readily to mind would
set an achievement few, if any other, northern country twins, big or small, could
emulate.
“In the world of Rugby League Walcha has won the Group 5 competition two
years in a row.
“Walcha fields five football teams and up to eight first grade cricket teams.”
There are any number of aspects out of this report that are worth pursuing. It
would be great to track down those “others way back” if they exist, but the local
newspaper files available to the writer must not have carried any other reports
of sporting achievements. It’s worth noting that Max and Neville Holstein and
Peter Fenwicke were all accomplished tennis players as well, Dudley Towers
would go on to more sprint heroics and represent NSW and Queensland in rugby
league. Playing cricket for Colts at the time was Andy Laurie, who would go on to
play rugby union for Australia and the Walcha district side would go three years
undefeated in Tablelands cricket.
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In the 1959-60 season Riamukka won the right to play Nowendoc in the Turton
Cup final after beating Commercial in the semi, R.A. Laurie taking 3-4 and Bruce
Laurie 3-21 in Commercial’s 64. Nev Holstein retired at 46 for Riamukka. Ingleba
defeated Colts in the semi-final of the Consolation thanks to Ron Green’s 6-18.
Sam Stephens scored 41 in Colts’ 84. Lance Kermode scored 27 for Ingleba in
their 127, Peter Fenwicke 3-27. Commercial won a semi-final of the Consolation
knock-out against Walcha Road thanks to the top order. Owen Sweeney 72 and Col
Wall 52 opened while first-drop Aiden Wall retired on 50. Commercial declared at
9-243 and Col Wall then took 5-15 in the Road’s 135.
Also from 1959-60 a classic Ingleba line-up, 101, knocks over a classic
Nowendoc team, 60, by 41 runs on the first innings despite a spirited attempt at
an outright. B. Brazel 16, Ron Green 6, Lance Kermode 9, Gordon Jamieson 18,
Bob Bowden 0, Alby Ferris 30, F. Bowden 7, Lloyd Levingston 0, Don Kermode
0, Mick Bullen 1 not out, Rodney Brazel 4 (Cedric Wright 6-33, K. Banner 1-27,
Max Wayte 2-25, B. Richards 0-6). Nowendoc’s board read Jack Hicks 1, Max
Wayte 28, Lindsay Margery 6, Cedric Wright 0, Tom Wayte 7, B. Richards 6,
Dallas Turner 0, O. Holstein 12, K. Banner 0, R. Hogbin 0 not out, Herbert Higgins
0 (Ron Green 3-18, Gordon Jamieson 3-40, F. Bowden 1-2). Ingleba (spelt that way
for the second innings) 5-87, Ron Green 27, Lance Kermode 20 not out, Nowendoc
6-72 (Cedric Wright 28; Gordon Jamieson 3-18).
To continue their great rivalry, Round Swamp scored 202 against Riamukka
and bowled them out for 129. Neville Holstein top-scored with 41 for Riamukka,
R.A. Laurie made 26 and B. Holstein 10 not out, possibly the first reference to
Barry. Roy Chandler 4-40 kept on keeping on, but Tony Hoy 3-26 was another
emerging star and contemporary of Barry Holstein, Lance Kermode and Owen
Sweeney, who went on to a great career. He would also gain infamy in a game
against Colts on The Park. R.A. Laurie took 5-49 in that loss to Swamp and B.
Holstein, if it is Barry or “Blue” took 1-35. Kevin Hoy retired on 56, Harry Hoy
made 30 and Ken Hoy 26. In other 1959 games Alick Bird took 8-45 as Round
Swamp dismissed Colts for 84. Stan Chandler then top-scored with 34 as Swamp
put on 128 (Peter Fenwicke 5-46, Tony Croft 5-28). Colts were again out for 84
(Roy Chandler 5-17) and Swamp had to score 41 runs in three overs to obtain the
maximum points, which they did. Don Margery (Riamukka) and Stan Chandler
(Round Swamp) scored tons on the same weekend. Noel Caslick scored 51 of
Walcha Road’s 151, (Max Holstein 4-72, Will Watson 3-60, Herb Laurie 3-15) and
then Don Margery, 115, and Max Holstein, 83, went to town in Riamukka’s 273
(Arch Natty 3-32). Ray Hoy 7-12 and Alick Bird 3-36 cleaned up Ingleba for 54
and then Stan Chandler, 104, and Ronnie Moffitt, 41, helped Swamp to 224.
Billy Snow had a good match for Commercial against Ingleba. He was not out
60 in Commercial’s 179 and then took 4-13 in Ingleba’s 123.
Owen Sweeney scored the first century of the new year (and we assume the
decade) after Commercial’s bowlers Fred Roper 4-29, Col Wall 2-11 and Viv Riley
4-10 dismissed Walcha Road for 55. O.P was 109 not out in Commercial’s 3-163.
Max Watts took 4-15 and with The Road all out for 57 in the second innings
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and Commercial knocked off the runs for an outright. Round Swamp are always
competitive and Alick Bird, 5-31, and Roy Chandler, 3-23, skittled Colts for 116
and Bird top-scored with 32 not out in Swamp’s 181.
Ingleba surprised the strong Riamukka when Gordon Jamieson took five
wickets and Riamukka only managed 111. Ingleba just got there at 9-121.
Max Holstein was prominent in a match in 1959-60 between Riamukka and
Colts Gold when he took 4-34 in helping dismiss Colts for 153 (Jeff Makeham
34) and then retired on 113 in Riamukka’s 7-175, Herb Laurie also retiring on 43.
Poor old Colts Gold were on the receiving end again, Neville Holstein retiring on
111 at The Park, just short of Colts Gold’s total of 117 (R.A. Laurie 5-32). Ingleba
116 (Lance Kermode 41; Max Holstein 6-44) rounded up Riamukka, 86 (Neville
Holstein 45; F. Bowden 4-10, Bob Bowden 6-21.) You can see where Jamie received
his tuition for his run in the 1980s.
In the lead-up to the 1959-60 A.G. Blomfield consolation final Ingleba had a
comfortable first-innings win over Walcha Road by 146 runs. The significance
of the match is in the continued emergence of Lance Kermode, who opened the
innings and made 50 retired for Ingleba in 177 (five retired) in response to the
Road’s 31 (Gordon Jamieson 2-10, F. Bowden 4-12, Peter Ferris 3-4). Ingleba were
into the final the following Sunday on the Common. All these matches commenced
at “10am sharp” a pointer to the order of the time and something that was lost at
different stages under the baby boomers.
Ingleba won the consolation A.G. Blomfield Cup by defeating Nowendoc.
Lance Kermode top-scored with 73 in Ingleba’s 165 and veteran Alby Ferris
scored 36 while Jack Hicks took 4-29. Gordon Jamieson took 6-32 and Ferris 3-22
in Nowendoc’s 91.
In the 1959-60 final Colts were rolled for 99 of which Peter Fenwicke
contributed 74 and Harvey Yabsley the next best with nine. Colts’ top three of
Eric Stier, Andy Fletcher and Bill Borthwick, went for ducks. Gordon Jamieson
picked up 4-44, Ron Green 3-34 and F. Bowden 3-9. Ingleba replied with 250,
opener Owen Sweeney top-scoring with 56, Ron Green hit 50, Gordon Brooks
33 and Dick Bowden 24 at no.11. Lindsay Eliott was the best of the Colts bowlers
with 2-16.
As befitting their efforts in the final Peter Fenwicke won the batting and
Gordon Jamieson the bowling averages for the 1959-60 season. Fenwicke averaged
48.3 from an aggregate of 387 runs. Ron Green finished second with 40.14. Owen
Sweeney, who finished third, had the highest aggregate of 513 runs. Jamieson’s
bowling average was 6.88 for 61 wickets, which was also the highest number of
scalps. Alick Bird was second with an average of 7.1 and F. Bowden third with
7.48. Fenwicke was fourth in the bowling (7.86) and a young Tony Hoy fifth at 8.1.
The Tablelands Council was split into two zones and Walcha’s draw for the
1959-60 season had the Firsts playing Armidale away, Inverell at home, Guyra at
home then the New Year’s road trip to Inverell and Guyra and Armidale at home
to finish. The Seconds played Armidale away, Armidale at home, Glen Innes at
home, Armidale away, Glen Innes away and Armidale at home.
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The First XI declared at 6-244 against Inverell (Nev Holstein 83, Owen Sweeney
47, Lance Kermode 38 not out) and Inverell were 5-136 (Reg Finney 61 not out; Sam
Stephens 4-30). Hugh Morgan had a good game in the 2nd XI against Armidale,
picking up a couple of wickets and top-scoring with 41. In the return match Walcha
lost to Inverell on the Sunday and then defeated Guyra on the Monday. Inverell
scored 138 (B. Flick 61 not out; Max Holstein 4-35, Peter Fenwicke 3-36, Roy
Chandler 3-21) and Walcha replied with 73, Lance Kermode the only batsman to
reach double figures with 15. Kermode top-scored again the next day with 46
against Guyra in Walcha’s 186 in what is a very strong side coming together: Herb
Laurie 32, Nev Holstein 11, Owen Sweeney 17, Lance Kermode 46, Andy Fletcher
15, Max Holstein 27, Peter Fenwicke 11, Sam Stephens 16, Ron Green 2 not out,
Don Kermode 1. Guyra made 106 (Peter Fenwicke 3-24, Herb Laurie 3-15).
As we see, things didn’t always go the way of the talented district sides.
Armidale won the zone premiership in both Firsts and Seconds in 1959-60 after
beating Walcha in both grades at Walcha to end the season. The Firsts’ clash went
down to the last over. Walcha only made 132 (Lance Kermode 36, Roy Chandler
31) and Armidale were seven wickets down and into the last over when they hit
the winning runs. Armidale Seconds made 157 (R.A. Laurie 3-9, Barry Holstein
3-45) and Walcha could only manage 41 and were 9-91. One notable performance
during the season was K. (Ken or Kev?) Hoy’s 93 not out opening the innings in a
total of 8-137 in the second dig as Armidale went for the outright. He’d top-scored
in the first innings with 22 batting at no.10.
The 1950s were a golden age. Agricultural seasons aside, Australia hosted
the Olympics and it must have had an uplifting effect right around the country, not
unlike an Ashes tour. It was still a time when you could represent your country
from the bush. In Walcha in 1956, the same year as the Olympics in Melbourne,
the secondary department of the Central School moved to its present site and
offered the Intermediate and Leaving Certificates as well as cricket wickets. From
humble beginnings and for such a small educational establishment its students and
sportspeople have done incredibly well. Remarkably well in fact. All this fed into
Walcha and Walcha cricket. In the early 1960s Milton Battaglini, Rex Hoy and
Robin Croker won prestigious Commonwealth Scholarships. Rex’s brother Tony
Hoy was one of, if not the, first school cricket captain while he was making his
mark with Round Swamp. Milton Battaglini was an early school star and he was
playing with Commercial, as part of their youth program, and inter-district sides
from a young age as were Bruce and Robin Croker. Round Swamp’s Glen Coulton,
one of the teachers promoting cricket at the school, encouraged 14-year-old Robin
Croker to attend the state under-17 trials at Cranbrook School after Croker had
taken over the captaincy of the school cricket side. Denis Makeham and Lloyd
Ryan were other 1950s “schoolies” who went on to long and distinguished careers
in Walcha cricket. Teams from Uralla and the various schools public, private and
Catholic in the old nemesis Armidale provided opposition for Walcha Central
School and later the Walcha junior teams. Occasionally they were afforded the
chance to play on turf at The Armidale School and De La Salle College. A whole
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new generation formed a relationship with Armidale cricket, fortunately the
grounds at the Armidale racecourse would remind the Walcha kids they weren’t
far from home. Teachers had played an important role in Walcha cricket probably
since the big public school push through the bush in the 1880s. All the little
districts and the bigger properties around Walcha had their own schools and often
the male teachers were handy cricketers. The secondary department moving to
its own site with cricket wickets and offering the Leaving Certificate meant more
kids stayed and played locally. The quality of teaching was sound and they not
only pushed students academically, but also encouraged them on the sportsfield.
Harvey Yabsley, Les Ingram and Glen Coulton for instance were all playing at
a high level in the local comp and mentoring their pupils at school. And Andy
Fletcher was conducting clinics at The Park on Saturday mornings. In a match
at the start of the decade, Tony Hoy’s progression continued apace. He scored 69
of Swamp’s 175 against Colts and then captured 3-19 in Colts’ 74 (Andy Fletcher
22; Alick Bird 3-29). WDCA president and Northern Tablelands selector Viv
Partridge took Tony Hoy, Lance Kermode and Owen Sweeney to the Tablelands
Colts trials in 1961. Tony Hoy was offered a job in the Rural Bank, accepted it,
and was promptly transferred to Glen Innes. He attended the Tablelands Colts
trials held in Guyra the following year and faced Walcha’s up-and-coming leggie
Barry Holstein. Old memories die hard and Swamp and Riamukka always played
it hard. As Tony recalled: “Barry kept on bowling down the legside and I kept on
whacking them.” He was rewarded with selection in the Northern Tablelands side.
A report in the Sun-Herald from 1959 under the heading “A Family Affair at
White City” has a nice Walcha cricket connection.
“A grandmother and her four daughters competed with success in the NSW
country lawn tennis championships at White City last week.
“The grandmother is Mrs Holstein of Nowendoc, and her daughters are Elaine
(Mrs Robert Higgins), 23, Betty, 19, Margaret,18, and Lynette, 16.
“Two sons, Max (26) and Neville (22) and Mr. Holstein acted as ‘non-playing
captains’.
“Two other sons, Don (25) and Barry (11) had to stay home to look after the
family’s 6000-acre cattle property, which is 48 miles from Walcha and more than
300 miles from Sydney.
“The three ‘non-playing captains went A.W.L. on the days the Test cricket was
on.
“Two country tennis titles and other honours went to the family.
“Elaine won the women’s open singles for the fourth time in five years, and
was beaten in the semi-final of the doubles championship.
“Her two children, Eric (17 months) and Judith (four months) stayed with her
mother-in-law at Gloucester where Elaine’s husband has a 4000-acre cattle property.
“Lynette won the under-19 singles title.
“Margaret (18) was runner-up to Lynette (16), bowing to youth in the allHolstein final.
“Margaret and Lynette also reached the semi-finals of the open doubles.
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“Mrs Holstein partnered Lynette and Betty and Margaret played together to
make up the Walcha side in the women’s A division teams championship.
“Elaine played with Gloucester.
“Betty, a former Wilson Cup (Australian junior teams championship) star and
partner of brilliant Grenfell player Jan Lehane, could not stay for the individual
titles.
“She had to leave for Adelaide to play in the current Australian championships.
“She forfeited her women’s singles title which she had won last year …
“Elaine was also a Wilson Cup representative for NSW and is a former
Australian junior doubles champion.”
And so it goes on.
Walcha finished the decade with an outright win over a Newcastle XI at The
Park. Newcastle were dismissed for 74. Col Wall picked up the last four wickets
for 20 runs, but Ron Green, Max Holstein and Roy Chandler had done the early
damage. Walcha then scored 129, Chandler making a neat 50, Newcastle were
rolled for 71 second-time around (Max Holstein 3-12, Roy Chandler 3-28) and
Walcha were 7-51 at the end.
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T
he 1960-61 season knockout opened up with Riamukka 180 (Neville Holstein
47, Tom Keating 44) defeating Ingleba 102 (Ron Green 38 not out; Max
Holstein 5-40, Will Watson 3-15). Don Margery got off to a good start in the 1961
Turton Cup taking 7-15 in Nowendoc’s 108-61 win over Round Swamp. Riamukka
won the right to meet Commercial in the final of the 1960-61 Turton Cup after an
interesting semi against Nowendoc. Don Margery scored 130 out of Nowendoc’s
total of 189 before Herb Laurie (70) and Neville Holstein (75) guided Riamukka to
a 22-run win. Tony Chapman took 7-46 against Ingleba as Colts earnt the right to
play Round Swamp in the consolation knock-out.
Riamukka won the 1960-61 Turton Cup against Commercial on The Park.
Dudley Towers top-scored for Commercial with 41 of their 101 (R.A. Laurie 5-21)
before Max Holstein blasted 101 retired in Riamukka’s 231 (Milton Battaglini
3-25). In the Dick Croft consolation final Round Swamp 172 (Roy Chandler 76
ret; Sam Stephens 3-9) defeated Colts 133 (Hugh Morgan 37, Jeff Makeham 34;
Kev Hoy 3-1).
The 1960-61 season opened with Riamukka cleaning up Colts for 39 (R.A.
Laurie 4-9, Willie Watson 3-3) and then posting 91 (Sid McMurray 4-31, Eric Stier
4-42), Round Swamp 231 (Roy Chandler 80, Alick Bird 49; Bill Holstein 4-21)
rounding up Nowendoc 109 (Don Margery 57; Alick Bird 4-27, Roy Chandler
4-43) and Commercial 150 (Col Wall 56; Ronnie Green 3-30, Gordon Jamieson
4-43) defeating Ingleba 110 (W. Smallman 5-38, Dudley Towers 5-56). But there
were also some worrying signs, with Commercial only fielding nine men against
Nowendoc.
Thirteen-year old Robin Croker (2-33) had an interesting game for Colts Gold
in 1960 picking up both Margery brothers in Nowendoc’s 5-165. Cedric Wright
scored 65 and then picked up 5-24 in Nowendoc’s easy win. Alick Bird snared
5-43 in Riamukka’s 146 (R.A. Laurie 39) but it wasn’t good enough as Swamp
succumbed for 64 (Willie Watson 3-20). A strong Colts Green could only manage
64 against Ingleba (Ronnie Green 3-24, Gordon Jamieson 2-12, F. Bowden 2-5,
Owen Sweeney 3-3) and then Sweeney turned it on with the bat finishing with
77 not out while Dick Wayte 44 and Lance Kermode 26 not out helped Ingleba to
2-169. Colts Green were 7-86 in the second innings.
It wasn’t always bad news for Colts Green. Peter Fenwicke took 6-40 and Eric
Stier 3-20 as Colts Gold managed 108 (Bill Russell 49). Fenwicke then retired at
107 in Colts Green’s 190 (Sid McMurray 6-66). Interesting to see Tony Hoy on
the rise and he took 3-7 for Round Swamp when they dismissed Nowendoc for
80 (Ron Moffitt 4-30). Moffitt “broke up” the middle order of his own side, after
Stan Chandler (42) and Doug Schrader opened, the list was Harry Hoy, Ray Hoy,
Stan Hoy, Ron Moffitt, Ken Hoy, Kevin Hoy, Tony Hoy, Max Wall and Ross Steel.
Field placings must have been interesting when Riamukka played Ingleba, both
sides only had eight men. Ingleba scored 111 (Gordon Jamieson 40; R. A. Laurie
4-18, Max Holstein 3-32) and Riamukka responded with 126 (Neville Holstein 47,
H. Laurie 31).
Ingleba’s easy win over Colts Green was no fluke and they repeated the dose
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in the same year. Gordon Jamieson took 4-51 and F. Bowden 3-24 in Colts Green’s
162 (Bill Monie 39, Rex Turton 30) and then Owen Sweeney hit a neat 100 and
Lance Kermode was 71 not out as Ingleba rattled up 4-227. Colts Green 3-162
(Bill Borthwick 54 not out, Peter Fenwicke 50 not out, Eric Stier 32) repeated
their dominance over Colts Gold 70 (Jeff Makeham 44). Colts Green opened their
bowling with rugby greats Andy Laurie (4-15) and Peter Fenwicke (4-13).
In sensible programming, deferred matches were requested to be completed
on Saturdays and Sundays so the semi-final draw could be announced. Gordon
Jamieson had a field day against Nowendoc, scoring 45 in Ingleba’s total of 168
and then claiming 3-11 in Nowendoc’s first innings of 34 (Ron Green 3-17) and
5-9 in their second innings of 36 (Alby Ferris 4-4). On the same weekend Max
Holstein took 6-22 in the first innings of Riamukka’s outright of Walcha Road. In
other weekend matches Hugh Morgan hit 91 of Colts’ 213 in their win over Ingleba
113 (Tony Chapman 7-49, Peter Fenwicke 3-30) on the Saturday and then Colts
defeated Nowendoc on the Sunday. Andy Fletcher top-scored with 35 in Colts’ 129
(Don Margery 5-42) and Nowendoc were out for 106 (Tony Chapman 5-52; Peter
Fenwicke 4-21). In a low-scoring affair Nowendoc 54 (Max Holstein 6-22) were
beaten by Riamukka 77 (Marsden Green 6-23). The following day, Riamukka 125
(Neville Holstein 50; Col Wall 4-24) defeated Commercial 92. Also on Sunday,
Round Swamp 112 (Gordon Jamieson 6-52) defeated Ingleba 53 (Alick Bird 5-16;
Roy Chandler 4-32).
Max Holstein had a day out at the Common against Colts Gold when he hit 11
sixes on his way to 139 retired. But his Riamukka were surprised by Ingleba when
Gordon Jamieson took 5-29 and Aiden Wall 4-19 to oust them for 81. Ingleba just
got there, Gordon Brooks coming at no.10 was 38 not out in their 84. Peter Fenwicke
toyed with his “club mates” taking 6-34 when Colts Green (Andy Fletcher 43)
defeated Colts Gold. Round Swamp (69) won by a bare run over Nowendoc (68),
Ray Hoy taking 4-15 and Roy Chandler 3-17. Gordon Jamieson recorded the
remarkable figures of 7-11 in an Ingleba outright of Nowendoc who only managed
29 in their first innings (F. Bowden 2-1). Ron Green hit 68 in Ingleba’s 143 before
Nowendoc were all for 83 (Owen Sweeney 5-24).
A classic Round Swamp-Riamukka clash in 1960-61. Round Swamp 150
(Ray Hoy 78; Nev Holstein 3-10, Will Watson 3-20) defeated Riamukka 106 (Nev
Holstein 50; Alick Bird 6-24, Roy Chandler 4-38). Colts had an easy 90-run win
over Commercial. Colts 143 (Andy Fletcher 48; Hugh Morgan 46; Col Wall 4-13,
W. Smallman 3-44) defeated Commercial 53 (Sam Stephens 7-25).
In other 1960-61 club matches some interesting names appear in the Colts
Gold side in a draw with Round Swamp. Colts, 182: Des Vout 0, Jeff Makeham 13,
Tony Chapman 29, Bill Russell 58, Viv Partridge 10, D. Gordon 51, Don McFarland
0, Geoff McGuffog 14 not out, Geoff Eliott 0, David Fletcher 0, Ken Rogers 2.
Swamp gave Lloyd Ryan (0-12) a bowl, I’m guessing Doug Schrader still had the
’keeping duties at that stage, and Ross Steel (0-5) had a trundle as well. Otherwise
the bowling was Ray Hoy 3-48, Kev Hoy 2-30, Tony Hoy 3-32, Graham Hoy 0-21
and Ken Hoy 2-24. Colts Gold used eight bowlers and Swamp ended up 5-110, the
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batting card showing an H. Hoy and an S. Hoy, which would bring the number of
Hoys in the side to seven that we know of from the scoreboard.
Colts Green took the points in a match against Ingleba thanks to Andy Fletcher
opening the innings and hitting 74, supported by Bill Borthwick with 29, while
Gordon Jamieson was Ingleba’s best bowler with 6-61. Peter Fenwicke then took
8-47 and Ingleba were all out for 88, Jamieson top-scoring with 29. Colts Gold
on the other hand were on the receiving end, Cedric Wright, 75, and Lindsay
Margery, 54, both retiring in Nowendoc’s 5-158 in reply to Colts Gold’s 49, Jeff
Makeham opening and the only bat to make double figures (17) as Cedric Wright
3-13, Don Margery 4-32 and Max Wayte 2-0, did the damage.
In 1960-61 Gordon Jamieson secured another hat-trick and finished with
match figures of 10-25 in Ingleba’s outright of Nowendoc. Lance Kermode, 76 and
Ron Green, 57 helped Ingleba to 209. Jamieson only bowled one over in the first
innings and claimed 3-0 with a hat-trick in Nowendoc’s 37. Nowendoc scored 69
in the second dig, when Jamieson snared 7-25.
Barry Holstein seemed the man for a new decade when he picked up a hattrick, 3-2, against neighbours Nowendoc, interestingly enough Lindsay Margery
std N. Holstein b B. Holstein 26 showing the master’s versatility. Nowendoc
scored 81 and R.A. Laurie 41 and Herb Laurie 37 retired, helped Riamukka to
125. Colts No.1 [Green I suspect] 89 (Peter Fenwicke 42; Stan Chandler 5-22)
defeated Round Swamp 86 (Alick Bird 32; Sam Stephens 3-27, Tony Chapman
3-30) in a thriller. Ron Green was 101 not out in Ingleba’s 3-168 in a washed-out
match against Colts II (Gold). Owen Sweeney the other Ingleba opener.
In a deferred club match played on a Saturday on The Park, Peter Fenwicke,
58, held Colts together for 133, but to no avail, Neville Holstein peeled off a classic
119 for Riamukka and brother Max hit 39. Hugh Morgan was in good form
snaring 4-45.
Big hitting was the order of the day in a drawn match between Riamukka and
Ingleba. Batting at no.9 for Ingleba Gordon Brooks hit seven sixes in a quickfire
60 in their 220 (Gordon Jamieson 41, Ronnie Green 47) before Neville Holstein
replied with 108 not out in Riamukka’s 5-211 (Max Holstein 40, R.A. Laurie 40).
Neville also knocked up 124 retired out of a total of 175 in Riamukka’s Romano
Cup win over Ingleba.
In the 1960-61 final of the A.G. Blomfield Cup at The Park the old and the new
showed their class. Col Wall scored 70 and was sixth man out in Commercial’s
150. But a solid Lance Kermode century enabled Ingleba to gain a 43-run at the
end of day one. Ingleba were 4-193, Kermode 101 not out and Bruce Brazel, who
had hit seven boundaries, was 45 not out.
Round Swamp were both minor and major premiers for 1960-1961 after
outrighting Riamukka at The Park in the final. The Swamp batted first and openers
Kev Hoy, 52, and Ken Hoy, 28, put on 74 before Alick Bird, 52 and Ray Hoy, 34
helped the total to 240 (R.A. Laurie 4-53) Riamukka were 4-121 at stumps with
Neville Holstein 68 not out, but only managed to take their score to 153 on day
two (Neville Holstein 96 not out; Alick Bird 4-37, Ray Hoy 4-49). Round Swamp
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only managed 53 in their second dig (Max Holstein 6-19, R.A. Laurie 3-5) but
Riamukka struggled too and scored 110 second-time around. The Swamp won by
30 runs (Alick Bird 5-44, Ray Hoy 3-19).
The 1960-61 averages were, batting: Neville Holstein with 83.25 from Andy
Fletcher 33.2; bowling: Alick Bird 36 wickets, 168 runs, average of 4.6; Peter
Fenwicke 19, 104, 5.4.
In inter-district cricket in 1960-61 Walcha drew with Inverell after declaring at
6-245. It’s not a bad top order: Herb Laurie 22, Owen Sweeney 44, Lance Kermode
37, Hugh Morgan 6, Neville Holstein 65, Max Holstein 19, Peter Fenwicke 35 not
out, Don Margery 12 not out.
In another district game in 1961 Walcha had an easy win over Guyra. Peter
Fenwicke batting at no.7 was 43 not out in the 220 total, Herb Laurie scoring a
rare duck and the only player to miss out (Col Wall 34, Roy Chandler 22, Andy
Fletcher 32). Guyra managed 137 the wickets evenly spread, Ronnie Green 2-32,
Alick Bird 2-29, Roy Chandler 2-23, Peter Fenwicke 3-26, Hugh Morgan 1-12. The
Second XI were in good form, dismissing Armidale for 143 (B. Huntley 3-18, Col
Wall 3-29) and then scoring 164 (Hugh Morgan 58, B. Huntley 33).
Same season, I’m not sure, but in 1961 Walcha Seconds scored a creditable 160
against Glen Innes (Gordon Brooks 38) only for Glen to hit 7-216 (Ross Kermode
4-19).
In other inter-district games in 1960-61 Walcha had easy wins over Inverell,
the Firsts on The Park, the Seconds at the school. Don Margery batting at no.9
top-scored with 53 and Ron Green at no.11 was 30 not out after Herb Laurie 29
and Owen Sweeney 43 laid a nice platform at the top of the innings. Walcha ended
up with 226 and dismissed Inverell for 86, Ron Green 5-24. The Seconds had a
20-run win after Gordon Brooks, 62, and Bill Russell, 44, helped Walcha to 183 in
reply to Inverell’s 163, Col Wall 3-23, Eric Stier 3-18.
An interesting report ran in the paper following a district game in 1960. It was
headed “Guyra Downed Easily” and read: “Walcha had the easiest of wins over
Guyra in a Northern Tablelands Council match at The Park on Sunday.
“Batting first, the locals closed their innings at five down for 237 of which
Max Holstein made 64 not out, Peter Fenwicke 48 not out and Neville Holstein 41.
“Guyra were humbled to 72 runs in their visit to the batting crease.
“Max Holstein completed a good double for the day in taking four wickets for
10 runs.
“It appears to be a bad feature of these inter-district matches in late starting,
both teams being at fault.
“With representative teams the full time allotted is, in most cases, not enough
then.
“Another bad feature of Sunday’s rep games was the fact that Glen Innes did
not show up to fulfil their engagement, nor did they show Walcha officials any
courtesy by letting them know they could not get a team.
“Some of the Walcha players had travelled long distances to get to town to
play, and even the mats had to be brought 40 mile.
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“Instances like Sunday’s performances are making the club player who can’t
get a game in these matches and supporters wonder if these matches are the value
to the game there used to be.”
Grammar aside, I’m guessing the Firsts’ fixture started late and Glen Innes
didn’t turn up for the Seconds, otherwise it’s all a bit confusing.
In another district match, Walcha defeated Glen Innes by 17 runs at The Park.
Glen Innes batted first and hit 165 in 150 minutes (Peter Fenwicke 4-42, Ron
Green 3-46). Walcha were 6-93 and 7-128 before Peter Fenwicke joined Hugh
Morgan, the latter holding up one end while Fenwicke “dealt some West Indies
medicine” to the visitors. In his 36 he hit three sixes in one over.
The 1960-61 season’s cricket in Walcha and district was very keenly contested
and the standard of play quite good, said the retiring president of the WDCA Viv
Partridge in presenting his report to the annual dinner held at the New Royal
Hotel. Mr Partridge said as usual the older players were dominant in all teams, but
it was particularly pleasing to note more juniors forcing their way into matches.
“Quite a few of these young players are very keen and show quite a lot of ability,
so the future of cricket should be assured for many years to come.
“Six teams competed in our general competition and Round Swamp once again
proved to be the stronger and better balanced team, wining the Yalgoo Shield.
“This trophy is given for most points compiled in the competition during the
season and this is the third consecutive time it has been won by Round Swamp,
so they have undoubtedly proved their consistency in registering the ‘hat-trick’.
“Round Swamp also won the major premiership, defeating Riamukka in the
final for the News Cup.
“The Turton Cup was annexed by Riamukka from Commercial with the
consolation R.M. Croft Cup going to Round Swamp from Colts.”
The A.G. Blomfield Cup was taken out by Ingleba from Commercial.
The batting average was won by Neville Holstein with 83.25 from A.C.
Fletcher with 33.2. The C.H. Macdonald Trophy for best bowling average went
to Alick Bird from Peter Fenwicke. Bird took 36 wickets for 168 runs at 4.6 and
Fenwicke 19 wickets for 104 runs at 5.4 apiece.
“In the inter-town competition Walcha once again proved their superiority by
again winning the Northern Tablelands Zone against the larger towns, but was
most unfortunately deprived of contesting the final for the War Veterans’ Cup
because of the late arrival of results.
“This meant Inverell being declared our zone winner and must have been very
disappointing to our A-grade inter-town team.
“Our reserve grade in these matches was not so successful, probably due to
selectors giving the younger players greater opportunities than other towns by
entering them more freely in these matches.
“As a long-range policy I think this will pay off and provide younger players
greater chances of A-grade selection and so keep Walcha on top.
“A very creditable performance by Peter Fenwicke is of note in the A-grade
inter-town competition. He finished second in the batting with an average of 42.75
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and second in the bowling with an average of 13.26.
“I would congratulate Neville Holstein on his very good performances during
the Emu world tour.”
Viv Partridge and Col Wall were zone delegates and Northern Tablelands
selectors and managers for the J.S. White Colts carnival.
Established representative-class players, a strong youth policy and
administrative clout . . . Walcha cricket was riding high, the only sour note being
the duping of the district side for another crack at a War Veterans’ Cup. But how
long can the good times roll? The competition had dropped from seven to six
teams. The president’s end-of-season speech 12 seasons later in 1973 echoes some
of Viv Partridge’s sentiments of 1960-61, with some circumstances the same, but
others startlingly different.
Just to corroborate Herb Laurie’ wonderful recall, in 1958-59 and 1960-61,
results weren’t handed in at inter-district level. In 1959-60 Armidale won both
Firsts and Seconds with the match report telling of a tight game going down to last
run. Herbie was correct, but it wasn’t two consecutive years that Walcha missed
out.
In 1961-62, good bowling in the Turton Cup knockout match resulted in
Riamukka 129 (Herb Laurie 47, Max Holstein 42; B. Richards 3-10, Bill Holstein
4-16) defeating Nowendoc 92 (Lindsay Margery 31; Willie Watson 8-35), while
Round Swamp 202 (Roy Chandler 63 retired) defeated Yarrowitch 50 (Alick Bird
3-1). Good to see Yarrowitch back. Riamukka won the Turton Cup for 1961-62
when they defeated Round Swamp by 11 runs. Round Swamp scored 158 (Ray
Hoy 55; Nev Holstein 4-28) and Riamukka 169 (Herb Laurie 43; Alick Bird 6-61).
In the Dick Croft Consolation knockout Lance Kermode hit 74 not out and Gordon
Jamieson 36 in Ingleba’s 175, and then Jamieson took 5-31 in dismissing Colts for
130 (Tony Chapman 43, Jeff Makeham 30).
In competition games, Gordon Jamieson took a hat-trick against Riamukka,
no mean feat, and they were knocked over for 104, but Ingleba were all out for 52,
Jamieson top-scoring with 17. The Romano Cup was still being played for and
in one such match Don Margery scored 88 and Lindsay Margery 25 not out in a
total of 170 for Nowendoc who then dismissed Yarrowitch for 94. Stan Chandler
opened the batting and bowling for Yarrowitch and Ron Moffitt, run out for 43,
also opened the bowling and was a consistent performer in a side that seemed to
struggle a bit and contained Moore remnants, Hoares and O’Keefes and Careys.
In club cricket in 1961-62 Peter Fenwicke took a hat-trick against Round
Swamp (Kev Hoy, Lloyd Ryan and Jim Mansfield) in a 110-68 win. Ingleba 151
(Gordon Jamieson 65; Col Wall 6-45) defeated Commercial 5-82 (Col Wall 43
not out, Owen Sweeney 33) in a match that highlighted Commercial’s policy of
introducing youth where possible with the inclusion of Bruce and Robin Croker.
The two masters went head-to-head yet again and it was a “draw”. Colts were
beaten by Riamukka, but Peter Fenwicke bowled Neville Holstein after he’d
made 77. Must have been fascinating watching them go head-to-head, not unlike
watching Shane Warne bowl to Mark Waugh in a Sheffield Shield match.
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The local derby in the south of the comp was a tad one-sided. Nowendoc were
all out for 51, no batsman making double figures (R.A. Laurie 3-13, Max Holstein
2-12, Herb Laurie 2-11) and then Neville Holstein scored 93 in Riamukka’s 206
(Cedric Wright 4-61). Nowendoc were all out for 79 in the second dig (Max
Holstein 3-12).
It’s fascinating just how localised the teams still were into the 1960s as a look
at some of the Romano Cup scoreboards show. Riamukka versus Yarrowitch,
Riamukka innings: George Lyon snr, Tom Keating 21, Don Holstein 19, R. A.
Laurie 11, Peter Laurie 5, Bruce Laurie 2, Oscar Duval 0, John Wayte 3, P. Foley
0, Will Watson 3 not out, M. Hyatt 0; Sundries 1: total 68; Stan Chandler 4-13,
Max Goodridge 3-16. Yarrowitch innings: Stan Chandler 1, Tom Brady 10, Max
Goodridge 14, Bruce Brown 6, Ron Moffitt 0, Lester Moore 0, Keith Cummins
2, Barry Hoare 1, Noel Hoare 0, Ian Cross 0, Charlie Hoare 0; total 42; Bruce
Laurie 2-20, Don Holstein 3-12, Willie Watson 3-7, R. A. Laurie 2-0. Riamukka
second innings 72 (Stan Chandler 4-22, Max Goodridge 3-32, Ron Moffitt 2-10),
Yarrowitch second innings 9-63 (Stan Chandler 29; R.A. Laurie 4-25, Don
Holstein 4-21).
Round Swamp took on the “townies” Commercial. Round Swamp innings:
Ken Hoy 7, Frank Kitcher 21, Tony Hoy 30, Ray Hoy 18, Glen Coulton 26, Kevin
Hoy 1, Ross Hoy 12, Lloyd Ryan 9, Jim Mansfield 1, Harry Hoy 2, Ron Munford
not out 1; total, 131. A feature of the match was that each side used 10 bowlers.
Commercial innings: Jim Farrell 6, Robin Croker 1, Bruce Croker 0, D. Mulligan
4, Max Watts 11, Don Tisdell 0, D. Brazel 5, E. Ryan 14 not out, P. Brislane 6, Ross
Steel 9, R. Reid 0; total 62.
In other Romano Cup action Ingleba 100 (Gordon Jamieson 42; R. Clarke 3-17)
knocked over Yarrowitch 86, and Colts 135 (Bill Monie 32; Gordon Macdonald
3-32; Stewart Riley 3-35) routed Commercial 35 (Lindsay Eliott 3-6).
An interesting match that season for Bob Bowden when he took a hat-trick
in his 4-13 for Ingleba against Commercial only to end up losing outright.
Yarrowitch stalwart Ron Moffitt took 5-29 in Round Swamp’s 146 (Ray Hoy 47
not out) but then his classic Yarrowitch line-up Stan Chandler 21, Tom Brady 20,
Max Goodridge 0, R. Clarke 8, Bruce Brown 8, Ron Moffitt 14, Keith Cummins
8 not out, Lester Moore 1, Barry Hoare 4, Charlie Hoare 0, M. O’Keefe 0 could
only manage 88.
Lance Kermode was starting to step up a notch, as evidenced by his 107
against Riamukka, while Peter Fenwicke stayed at his exalted level, retiring
on 113 against Nowendoc. R.A. Laurie, Alick Bird, Roy Chandler and Gordon
Jamieson kept taking wickets and Cedric Wright and the Hoys kept up their allround contributions.
Yarrowitch had a tough day against Ingleba when they were dismissed for 23,
Neville Stuart top-scoring with 9 (Ron Green 3-3, Gordon Brooks 3-4). Ingleba
declared at 2-86 (Ron Green 69) and then dismissed Yarrowitch for 40 (Gordon
Jamieson 4-13, F. Bowden 3-20).
Round Swamp 146 (Ray Hoy 47 not out, Ken Hoy 33; Ron Moffitt 5-29)
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defeated Yarrowitch 88 (Francis Kitcher 3-23); Ingleba 212 (Lance Kermode 107,
Dick Wayte 40; R.A. Laurie 4-72, Herb Laurie 3-37) defeated Riamukka 128
(Herb Laurie 39) and Colts 227 (Peter Fenwicke 113 retired; Marsden Green 3-24)
defeated Nowendoc 114 (Cedric Wright 49 not out).
In other 1961-62 season fixtures Max Holstein opened for Riamukka and
blasted 103 in their 219 total against Round Swamp. Ken Hoy opened up Swamp
with 64 but they only managed 172 as Don Holstein took 4-29.
Tony Hoy had a good Romano Cup match for Swamp against Colts, snaring
5-27 and then knocking up 61. Don Margery also had a good Romano Cup match
in an exciting one-run win over Round Swamp. Nowendoc scored 89 and Margery
took 9-44 in Swamp’s 88. In another Romano Cup match, Ingleba 178 (Ron Brazel
98) defeated Nowendoc 144 (Cedric Wright 52, Lindsay Margery 30; Aiden Wall
6-44; Bob Bowden 3-46).
Max Holstein also hit 121 out of Riamukka’s 212 (Max Goodridge 3-33) and
then dismissed Yarrowitch for 96 (Willie Watson 3-13) and 65 (Willie Watson
8-41). On the same weekend Ingleba outrighted Round Swamp, Gordon Jamieson
contributing 50 out Ingleba’s 88. Round Swamp 78 (Milton Battaglini 6-23)
defeated Commercial 62 (Jack Haynes 34; Alick Bird 3-17, Francis Kitcher 3-14).
Tony Hoy recalls a match against Colts at The Park. “Ray and Ken Hoy
were also in the team, dad (Stan) and Harry had retired. I was involved in the
‘mankading’ incident with my future rugby captain and coach Andrew Laurie
(who played for Australia). Andy kept leaving his crease before I delivered the ball
and Uncle Ray saw this. He came up to me mid-over and said: ‘Tony, he is cheating
you. You run him out.’ I was a little bewildered about this, but I knew it was in
the rules. I think that the game was at a critical stage and we needed a wicket.
Accordingly when I went to bowl the next ball I followed Ray’s instructions.
Andy was not impressed and mumbled something to himself as he walked off. We
won the game. My action caused a lot of comment in the Walcha News for many
months after. I think it was only resolved by input from the late John Hoy who
simply said it was in the rules of the game and that ‘yours truly’ was not a cheat.”
Some of that “comment” came from one of the grand men on Walcha cricket.
The great pre-War quick Cec Macdonald maintained a lifelong interest in Walcha
cricket and after retirement was an active patron and spectator. This letter was
published in the Walcha News under the heading “Cricket Patron Resents Action”.
Mr C.H. Macdonald, patron of the Walcha District Cricket Association wrote:
“I was a spectator at the match Round Swamp versus Colts last Sunday.
“The former team got about 170 runs and the latter were about 70 with one
wicket to fall, and about half-an-hour to go.
“A young bowler was bowling at the last batsman that came in, the other
batsman at the other end walked out of his crease as the bowler was about to bowl,
but instead of bowling he knocked the wicket with the ball and the batsman was
given out, rightly so under the rules.
“Would it not have been more correct and sporting if he had told him if he did
that again he would run him out.
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“To be a sportsman is a big thing – one can never qualify to be one by doing
a thing like that.”
Fair call, but Tony Hoy was a “sportsman”.
Interestingly enough, Cec Macdonald and John Hoy were the co-patrons. We
play it hard around here.
As Owen Sweeney was to say: “Good old Cec. He was a real puritan of the
game.”
Ingleba won the consolation knockout by defeating Commercial outright.
Ingleba scored 71 (P. Dawson 4-23) and rolled Commercial for 64 (Gordon
Jamieson 4-34, Gordon Brooks 4-26). In the second innings Lance Kermode hit
38 of Ingleba’s 112 and there were five ducks in Commical’s second innings of 42
(Gordon Jamieson 3-5).
Round Swamp defeated Commercial outright by 67 runs to win the 196162 major premiership. Commercial won their way to the final with what some
considered a surprising outright win over Riamukka in the semi-final, not the
least because they were behind on the first innings. Owen Sweeney scored 41
in their 120 (Max Holstein 3-27; B. Holstein 3-23 and Riamukka replied with
129 (R.A. Laurie 57; Milton Battaglini 4-56, Bill Russell 3-3). Commercial scored
145 in their second dig (Owen Sweeney 34; R.A. Laurie 4-20) and then skittled
Riamukka for 51 (Max Watts 5-23, Gordon Macdonald 3-3).
In the final Round Swamp batted first and scored 107 (Ray Hoy 33; Col
Wall 4-43) and Commercial were 10 runs short on 97 in their first innings. Ray
Hoy, 46, top-scored in the Swamp’s second innings of 157 (Robin Croker 4-59).
Commercial were 4-45 at stumps with Owen Sweeney 38 not out leaving them
122 to win on day two with six wickets in hand. Sweeney made 67 out of their
second-innings 102 and Alick Bird took 5-39.
The averages for the 1961-62 season went to Lance Kermode and Max
Holstein. Kermode batted nine times with four not outs for a total of 249 runs at
49.80. He was followed by: R.A. Laurie 10,2, 358, 44.75; Max Holstein 9, 0, 383,
42.55; Nev Holstein 6, 1, 207, 34.50; Herb Laurie 9, 1, 256, 32; Cedric Wright 8, 1,
221, 31.57; Peter Fenwicke 6, 0, 179, 29.83. Max Holstein took 23 wickets for 184
runs at 8.00 and was followed by: F. Bowden 17, 145, 8.52; R. A. Laurie 31, 269,
8.67; Max Goodridge 20, 175, 8.75; Gordon Brooks 18, 159, 8.83; Marsden Green
18, 162, 9.00; Gordon Jamieson 33, 304, 9.21; Peter Fenwicke 19, 181, 9.52; Will
Watson 18, 174, 9.53, Milton Battaglini 22, 210, 9.54. Some pretty handy bowling
averages there.
In inter-district matches in 1961-62 Walcha Firsts had wins over Tenterfield,
only by 20 runs in the first game. Neville Holstein knocked up 52 in a 153 total
and brother Max took 4-32 in Tenterfield’s 133. Next time around Walcha posted
255 (Peter Fenwicke 62 not out, Nev Holstein 59, Max Holstein 30) and dismissed
Tenterfield for 61 (Peter Fenwicke 4-19). Walcha Seconds had a tough time of it
against Armidale Seconds the same year, Armidale declaring at 3-185 and Walcha
out for 78, Barry Holstein 29 not out.
In the 1961-62 season Neville Holstein was in devastating form for Walcha
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in the district match against Inverell when they chased down the clock to win by
six wickets and 13 runs at The Park. Set 180 in 160 minutes, Walcha achieved
the result with 15 minutes to spare on a heavy ground. Holstein finished with
123 not out, which included six sixes and seven fours, and in the last over of the
match lost two balls. He dispatched them on the full into the Apsley River off
R.Cameron’s bowling, his three wickets the only taken by an Inverell bowler.
Lance Kermode was run out for 35 after joining Holstein at 2-29 and taking the
score to 3-152. Inverell had scored 179, D. Cockburn hitting 72 and R. Cameron
30. Unusually for Walcha the fielding was sloppy, with some easy chances missed,
and Col Wall ended up with 3-21 and Max Holstein 3-32. Tony Chapman picked
up two wickets, Sam Stephens and Roy Chandler one each. The Walcha batting
card read Herb Laurie 6, Owen Sweeney 19, Lance Kermode 35, Nev Holstein 123
not out, Max Holstein 1, Peter Fenwicke 3 not out. That’s a pretty solid district
team, two Country players (Fenwicke, Neville Holstein), one Country player to
be (Kermode), one could-a-been Country player (Herb Laurie) and one should-abeen Country player (Max Holstein) before you even consider the attack.
The Second XI came away with a draw against Inverell at the school ground,
but were unlucky not to pick up a win. Walcha scored 9(dec)-166 and had Inverell
9-49 at stumps, having missed a chance on the last ball to snatch victory. How’s
this for a Second XI batting card? Lionel Brazel 16, Bill Holstein 11, Hugh Morgan
56, Jeff Makeham 0, Gordon Brooks 2, Milton Battaglini 2, Peter Dawson 6,
Barry Holstein 42, Bill Wayte 20 not out, Frank Bowden 3 not out, Dick Wayte
2. Gordon Brooks picked up 4-10, and Peter Dawson 2-10 while Frank Bowden,
Milton Battaglini and Bill Holstein picked up a wicket each.
But in a cliff-hanger against Armidale Firsts, Walcha lost by one run. Armidale
managed 184 (Max Holstein 3-37) and Walcha openers Owen Sweeney, 75, and
Andy Fletcher, 29, were solid, but Walcha were all out for 183.
More inter-district cricket from 1961-62 and Walcha defeated Armidale at
Armidale by 25 runs. Max Holstein 58 and Lance Kermode 30 provided the bulk
of Walcha’s 155. Ren Mullen playing against his former teammates took 3-21
and D.Duff-Forbes 4-6. Peter Fenwicke 4-56 and Roy Chandler 4-32 cleaned up
Armidale.
In 1962-63 the WDCA congratulated Yarrowitch on again entering a side and
held out the offer of assistance. In club cricket in 1962-63 it was Bruce Croker’s
turn to “break up” the Round Swamp attack. In the consolation knockout he
scored 30 against Yarrowitch in Round Swamp’s 169 and when Swamp dismissed
Yarrowitch for 50 the bowling analysis read: R. Hoy 1-13, K. Hoy 2-13, Bruce
Croker 2-7, Ken Hoy 2-3, Rex Hoy 1-5, Paul Hoy 1-1. Riamukka 224 (Don Margery
104, Tom Keating 32; Dick Wayte 3-20) had an easy win in the Turton Cup over
Ingleba 114 (Gordon Jamieson 71; R. A. Laurie 6-43).
Yarrowitch struggled against the strong Ingleba, especially after Lance
Kermode scored 105 and B. Brazel 68 in a total of 3-224. Gordon Jamieson took
4-4 and Ron Green 3-24 in Yarrowitch’s 71 (J. McKinnon 34). It appears as if Herb
Laurie, Max and Barry Holstein swapped to Nowendoc from Riamukka and Don
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Margery to Nowendoc from Riamukka. In any event Neville Holstein hit the first
century of the season, a brilliant 116 for Riamukka against Nowendoc including
two sixes and 14 fours. He was eventually out caught Max Holstein bowled Bill
Holstein. Don Holstein scored 46 in the 8-285 and Nowendoc were all out for 114.
In about the third round Lance Kermode showed his maturity when he hit 77,
and Gordon Brooks 50, in Ingleba’s 8(dec)-188 in reply to Riamukka’s 45 (Ron
Green 4-22, Gordon Brooks 5-16). Riamukka were only slightly better in the
second innings with 56 (Gordon Brooks 3-3). Kermode hit 60 against Nowendoc
as Ingleba, 6-240 won easily in reply to Nowendoc’s 138. Round Swamp 204 (Ray
Hoy 71, Doug Schrader 60; Tony Chapman 4-36, Sam Stephens 3-33) defeated
Colts 184 (Peter Fenwicke 37; Revee McCormack 31; Alick Bird 4-58). Herb
Laurie must have wondered about the move to Nowendoc after they could only
manage 29 (Rex Hoy 6-6) in reply to Round Swamp’s 7(dec)-136 (Glen Coulton
44). Ingleba followed up the outright of Riamukka with a win over Round Swamp,
Kermode opening, 74 not out.
Poor old Yarrowitch. They were beaten outright by Ingleba when they made
62 (Gordon Brooks 4-12) and Ingleba replied with 4-131. Yarrowitch’s second
innings score isn’t recorded but R. Green took 4-10 and Gordon Jamieson 3-4 and
their top-scorers were listed as C. Hoare 5, I. Cross 5, T. Brady 4 and J. Bazeley
4 not out. Against Nowendoc, Yarrowitch scored 52 and 55 to Nowendoc’s 88
and 2-33. In other interesting games Round Swamp 101 (Ray Hoy 57; B. Turner
4-0) just defeated Riamukka 97 (Alick Bird 4-27, Bruce Croker 4-36). Herb
Laurie scored 70 in Nowendoc’s 98 which was enough to beat Colts 68 thanks to
Max Holstein’s 6-19 and Cedric Wright’s 4-31. Gordon Macdonald took 4-20 in
Riamukka’s 93 and Commercial, 184, let their youngsters retire (Owen Sweeney
36, Milton Battaglini 33 retired, Robin Croker 20 retired). It was a good year for
Commercial and on their way to the final they defeated the strong Round Swamp
at the Common, scoring 167 (C. Doyle 42, B. Brazel 41; Bruce Croker 7-36) to
Swamp’s 125 Jack Haynes 4-50).
Ingleba won the minor premiership (Yalgoo Shield) when they dismissed
Round Swamp for 130 (Ray Hoy 61; Ron Green 3-16, Gordon Brooks 3-26) and
then finished on 9-155 (Bob Bowden 53, Lance Kermode 34; Alick Bird 3-29 and
Bruce Croker 2-11, picking up the wickets of rep players Lance Kermode and Ron
Green). Nowendoc defeated Round Swamp 257 to 204 in the semi-final over a
Saturday and Sunday for the major premiership, Doug Schrader opened with 75
and Kev Hoy hit 34 in the middle order. Max Holstein took 3-64 and Marsden
Green 5-49. Max Holstein then hit 104 and Cedric Wright 50 in Nowendoc’s win,
Alick Bird taking 6-39.
In the 1962-63 final Nowendoc dismissed Commercial for 122 (Robin Croker
33; Max Holstein 4-39) and Nowendoc were 7-125 at stumps (Bill Holstein 39;
Col Wall 3-28). Nowendoc went on to post 143 and the game was evenly poised,
but Commercial only managed 115 in the second innings (Harry McInerney 35,
Bill Russell 31; Max Holstein 4-21, Cedric Wright 3-32) Nowendoc, 3-99, won by
seven wickets (Herb Laurie 43, Bill Holstein 32).
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The 1962-63 batting average was won by Lance Kermode (Ingleba) and the
bowling by Peter Fenwicke (Colts). The lists were, batting: Lance Kermode 11
innings, 2 not outs, 491 runs, 54.55 average; Herb Laurie 10, 1, 321, 35.66; Owen
Sweeney 10, 0, 328, 32.80; Ray Hoy 9, 0, 282, 31.33; Peter Fenwicke 12, 0, 345,
28.75; Max Holstein 12, 2, 287, 28.70. Bowling: Peter Fenwicke 44 wickets, 306
runs, 6.727 average; Gordon Jamieson 38, 283, 7.447; Max Holstein 36, 295, 8.194;
Bruce Croker 38, 321, 8.447; Neville Holstein 21, 196, 9.333; Ron Green 33, 309,
9.363; Gordon Brooks 24, 229, 9.541; Hugh Morgan 19, 186, 9.789.
Lance Kermode was in good form in inter-district cricket in 1962-63 when
he scored 106 in Walcha’s outright win over Tenterfield at Guyra. Owen Sweeney
(37) batted in the middle order with Nev Holstein (38), while the “tail” was Max
Holstein (18) and Peter Fenwicke (19 not out). Gordon Jamieson (0) opened with
Kermode while Andy Fletcher batted at no.3 and Herb Laurie no.4. Walcha made
257 and skittled Tenterfield for 68 (Ron Green 4-36, Max Holstein 5-37). Peter
Fenwicke was the destroyer in the second dig with 4-48.
The papers were publishing some great pictures at the time. From 1963, under
a picture of the great man, the caption read: “Peter Fenwicke of Walcha, former
international footballer and competent cricketer, pleased with his success against
New England at Armidale on Sunday. His own contribution was shrewd captaincy
and seven wickets for 72 from tantalising left-arm spinners.” Competent? The
Armidale Express was a tough judge. In the 1962-63 season he turned in one of
the most brilliant batting exhibitions seen at The Park in nearly saving Walcha
from defeat by Inverell. First he picked up 7-41 in Inverell’s 190, a youthful
Rick McCosker batting at no.9 was 16 not out. Fenwicke came to the crease
with Walcha at 6-45 after being 3-9, 4-17 and 5-30. He scored 81 in 69 minutes,
hitting intelligently and breaking up the field with quick singles. He was out with
15 minutes to go and Walcha ended up with 175. Gordon Jamieson at no.9 with
26 and Ron Green at no.10 with 21 offered support. But back to that match at
Armidale from which the picture was taken, Walcha made 202 (Max Holstein
46, Nev Holstein 34) and dismissed Armidale for 181 (Fenwicke 7-72). Also
published from this match was a picture of Andy Fletcher behind the sticks “at
East Armidale” and headlined “Veteran Wicketkeeper’s Four Victims”. It reads:
“At 45 years of age he is playing in his 29th year as Walcha District Representative
XI’s wicketkeeper. He snapped up four catches to contribute largely to his side’s
win over New England.” Neville Holstein’s scrapbook also has a great photo of
Andrew Laurie in his Walcha ruby gear under the headline “Represented Australia
At Rugby Union in 1962”.
Walcha had a comfortable win over Inverell away when they compiled 165
(Herb Laurie 36, Max Holstein 33, Peter Fenwicke 39) and then bowled Inverell out
for 93 (Max Holstein 6-27), and this left them undefeated. Another great moment
in newspaper coverage meant more nightmares and grey hairs for yours truly. The
headline reads “Peter Fenwicke takes 11 for 26 against Guyra” and the second
paragraph reads “. . . Peter Fenwicke took a total of 11 wickets for 23 runs.” The
bowling analysis then has figures of 6-8 in the first and 5-15 in the second. Anyway
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the outright win had Walcha maintain its undefeated district season. Guyra were
all out for 47 (Max Holstein 3-4) in the first and Walcha replied with 4-180 (Owen
Sweeney 54, Lance Kermode 27) before Fenwicke and Hugh Morgan 2-0 did the
damage in the second innings. In the return match against Guyra, played at The
Park, Herb Laurie 75, Neville Holstein 71, and Peter Fenwicke 30 (Max Holstein
retired hurt 26) helped Walcha to 248 and then the visitors were dismissed for 104,
Peter Fenwicke took 6-8.
Walcha played out a draw with Glen Innes, Max Holstein 51, Lance Kermode
41 and Fenwicke 30 allowed Walcha to 8(dec)-229 and Max Holstein was the only
wicket-taker, 4-46 in Glen’s 4-202. But in the return match against Glen Innes,
Walcha’s win enabled them to reach the final of the Northern Tablelands comp. It’s
a solid top-order batting card: Herb Laurie 56, Owen Sweeney 30, Lance Kermode
74, Nev Holstein 42 and Walcha ended up with 235. Fenwicke 3-35 and Gordon
Jamieson 3-19 were the destroyers in Glen’s 188.
Walcha persisted with a youth policy in the Seconds, a tough but worthwhile
learning curve. In the 1962-63 season the Seconds lost outright to Inverell at
Inverell and by 22 runs to Armidale at The Park. One of those introduced was Max
and Neville Holstein’s youngest brother Barry. He scored 72 batting at first drop
in the first innings and 59 in the second against Glen Innes in a game that finished
as a first-innings win for Walcha. Some interesting names and a nice balance
of youth and experience in the batting card: Bill Holstein 8, Gordon Jamieson
24, Barry Holstein 72, Milton Battaglini 7, Bill Wayte 28, Aiden Wall 21, Robin
Croker 9, Tony Crawford 4, Jack Harlock 1, D. Brazel 10, Bruce Croker 2 not out
in the total of 189. Glen were dismissed for 109 by experience (Gordon Jamieson
4-38) and youth (leggie Barry Holstein 4-19). Walcha Seconds, 181, did have a win
over Armidale No.3, 111, again with the experience of Gordon Jamieson 64 runs
and 5-30 combining with the youth of Milton Battaglini (50). The youth policy
paid dividends in a draw with Inverell in the Seconds. Inverell posted a daunting
6(dec)-254 but the young Walcha side held on to be 8-171 (Bill Holstein 60, Robin
Croker 28, Barry Holstein 25, Bruce Croker 25).
Walcha won the War Veterans’ Cup in 1962-63 when they defeated Tamworth
Blue by one wicket at Tamworth. Chasing 194 for victory Walcha were nine
wickets down requiring eight runs to win when last man in Sam Stephens strode to
the wicket to join number no.10 batsman Jack Haynes. Not only did they score the
eight required the pair put on a few more for good measure. Other members of the
side were Neville and Max Holstein, Herb Laurie, Hugh Morgan Owen Sweeney,
Peter Fenwicke (who took 5-41), Lance Kermode (39 runs), Roy Chandler and
wicketkeeper, Andy Fletcher. The win meant Walcha could lay claim to being the
strongest team in the north and north-west of the state. It was an exciting finish
and much has been made of Stephens’ efforts in latter years, suggesting that a
“tailender” secured victory for Walcha, but he was only batting at no.11 because
the side was so strong. The scorebooks of his playing days show he was a solid and
consistent scorer for the Colts middle order. Nerve-wracking for the Walcha team
and supporters for sure knowing one peach of a delivery or a false move would
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end their dreams, but Sammy was no slouch with the bat. Tamworth made 194
(K. Jones 38, W. Hayes 35, Ken Falkenmire 37, John Muller 23), Peter Fenwicke
bowling well to capture 5-51, while Max Holstein took 2-48, Roy Chandler 2-24
and Hugh Morgan 1-18. Lance Kermode top-scored for Walcha with either 39 or
49 (the published report differs from the published scoreboard and the scoreboard
doesn’t add up) ably supported by Neville Holstein, 35, Herb Laurie 26, Stephens
21 and Andy Fletcher 20. Haynes was 14 not out, while Roy Chandler batted
for more than two hours for 15, holding up an end as the others scored the runs.
The Walcha team were resplendent in their new caps, donated by patron Cec
Macdonald for winning the Northern Tablelands Council zone. The gesture was
very much appreciated and maybe the fighting victory was in appreciation of the
generous support of Walcha cricket’s great benefactor. Andy Fletcher batted at
no.9 in that War Veterans’ Cup win and Owen Sweeney opened.
FIELD OF DREAMS: The Park, the “great green place” of Pastoral literature.
T
he association’s formal request to the Shire Clerk for use of The Park and
Common wickets for the 1963-64 season posed an interesting question.
“As I understand your Council are the Trustees of the Common ground, I
wish to draw Council’s attention to the fact that the surface thereof is continually
being cut up by cars broadsiding on the wet surface. This now makes the ground
dangerous to field on with the attendant risk of players suffering serious injury.
“Can Council suggest any means by which this damage can be prevented
before the ground is eventually useless as a playing ground?
“G. Macdonald”
The annual general meeting at the start of the season passed a motion
requesting the association’s appreciation be conveyed to Revee McCormack for
“assistance rendered both physically and financially in constructing the practice
pitch at The Park”.
“We realise this has been an idea of yours for some time, but we consider that
137
without your drive the pitch may never have been constructed.”
Revee always put in. He played for Colts for years, for the Seconds for years
and mentored a group of youngsters at Rugby Union Cricket Club, many of whom
he had transported to junior cricket and junior rugby.
Bill Russell scored 60 out of Commercial’s 135 in a 1963-64 Turton Cup
semi against Nowendoc. Max Holstein put on a hitting display in reply, opening
and retiring on 77 including three sixes and six fours. Bill Holstein made 55 in
Nowendoc’s 6-177. Nowendoc won the 1963-64 Turton Cup thanks to a nowmaturing Barry Holstein’s 83 and indefatigable brother Max’s 6-38. Nowendoc
made 214 (Bill Holstein 83, Herb Laurie 57, Max Holstein 40) and dismissed
Ingleba for 107.
Lance Kermode scored the first century of the 1963-64 season. Ingleba had
dismissed Colts for 136 (Tony Chapman 48 not out, Bill Monie 33) thanks to
Bob Bowden’s 5-44 including a hat-trick. F. Bowden took 3-18, then Kermode
retired on 102 as Ingleba rattled up 190 (B. Brazel 33). In some interesting club
matches in 1963-64 Commercial outrighted Riamukka in a tight one. Riamukka
scored 47 (Gordon Macdonald 5-30, Milton Battaglini 5-16) and then cleaned up
Commercial for 38 (Marsden Green 3-13, Will Watson 5-24). Riamukka managed
76 second-time around (Don Margery 47; Harry McInerney 4-11, Robin Croker
3-10), but Commercial rallied and scored 95 (Owen Sweeney 58, Robin Croker 20).
Lance Kermode scored 100 not out in Ingleba’s 141 but rain prevented Nowendoc
from batting.
In other club matches in the 1963-64 season Neville Holstein went head-tohead with Alick Bird, bat against ball and ball against ball. Bird took 8-23 in
Riamukka’s 36 and then Neville Holstein took 5-26 in Swamp’s 95. Bird dropped
back to first-change bowler against Colts but it was Bruce Croker’s 4-9 that kept
Colts to 64, which Swamp easily passed (Kevin Hoy 34). Ewen Murdoch’s 61
helped Colts to 148 (Gordon Macdonald 3-54, Harry McInerney 3-3) but Robin
Croker’s 58 retired saw Commercial to 169 (Sam Stephens 3-20, Ewen Murdoch
3-43).
Lance Kermode was at it again against Commercial, scoring 107 not out after
‘‘the townies’’ were all out for 90 (R. Bowden 4-21.) But Owen Sweeney was in
form for Commercial against Round Swamp. He scored 107 not out in a total of
172 (Bruce Croker 6-54) and despite the efforts of M. Hoy, 39, Ray Hoy 34 and
Kev Hoy 34, Swamp were all out for 159 (Robin Croker 4-42, Gordon Macdonald
3-75). Don Margery scored a brilliant 95 for Riamukka against Nowendoc in a
total of 114 (seven ducks, Max Holstein 5-38), but Nowendoc scraped home by one
run (Bill Holstein 33; R.A. Laurie 4-32, Will Watson 3-37).
Another one for the historian. The headline reads “Commercial Beat N’doc
in Semi-final” followed by the opening paragraph: “In a high-scoring semi-final
match of the local competition, Commercial defeated Riamukka by 261 to 187.”
The headline was wrong, the first paragraph correct and Bill Russell made 104
for Commercial (Harry McInerney 38; Don Holstein 3-47, Will Watson 3-90) in
their 261. Neville Holstein made 88 in Riamukka’s 187 (Col Wall still going strong
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with 6-50). Nowendoc actually won their semi by dismissing Round Swamp for
64 (Cedric Wright 4-36, Barry Holstein 4-2) and then hitting up 93 (Herb Laurie
34; Alick Bird 4-31).
The 1963-64 final then was played between Nowendoc and Commercial and
Nowendoc ended major premiers. They made 144 in their first innings (Max
Holstein 49, Barry Holstein 36; Gordon Macdonald 4-36, Col Wall 3-58) and
dismissed Commercial for 91 (Max Holstein 3-22, Cedric Wright 6-41). Nowendoc
declared their second innings at 5-250 (Barry Holstein 61 not out, Herb Laurie 53
ret, Max Holstein 47, Cedric Wright 41). Commercial made a game of it, but were
all out for 249 (Harry McInerney 58, Jack Hogbin 34, Owen Sweeney 33; Max
Holstein 4-45, Barry Holstein 5-85).
In an interesting inter-district match at The Park in 1963-64, not the least again
because of the discrepancies between the Walcha News report and the published
scoreboard, Armidale scored 205 (Walter Taylor 54, A Dudley 37, Ren Mullen
31) and then dismissed Walcha for 174 (Walter Taylor 6-62). The report says:
“Walcha’s top-scorer was Max Holstein with 41 – made in 20 minutes – and O.
Sweeney with 33.
“A turning point in the match was a spectacular catch by Rennie Mullins [sic]
in dismissing Neville Holstein when he appeared set for a good score.
“Mullins [sic] was fielding on the boundary and ran about 20 yards to take a
one-handed catch after leaping in the air for it and saving a certain for it [sic].”
The scoreboard doesn’t list Max Holstein in the batting line-up at all, but he is
in the bowling analysis taking 1-42. Walcha’s batting card has H. Laurie, c Hussey,
b Taylor 41 as the top-scorer. Mullins, as the Walcha News called him, is actually
Mullen, Rennie Mullen, born at Nowendoc and a star of Walcha cricket for almost
a decade before his move to Armidale. Who did score the 41, Max or Herb? Best
ask one of them. And I wonder if Walcha would have lost if Peter Fenwicke had
been playing?
In other inter-district matches in 1963-64 Walcha Firsts defeated Inverell at
The Park after totalling 173 (Herb Laurie 95, Roy Chandler 25) and dismissing
the visitors for 102 (Max Holstein 7-59; Rick McCosker batting at first drop 18 not
out). The Seconds lost to Armidale at The Common after Armidale posted 6-322
(Pip McCann 117, L. McCann 101; T. Hoy (?) 3-80) and then being rolled for 96
(Jack Hicks 40, Milton Battaglini 29). The Firsts’ match against Inverell at Inverell
was washed out with the locals in trouble, all out for 159 (Rick McCosker a duck;
Sam Stephens 5-60) and Walcha 0-26.
Walcha had a tight win over Glen Innes, Lance Kermode scoring 83 and Max
Holstein 30 in a total of 189 before dismissing Glen for 158 (Roy Chandler 4-45).
Walcha easily defeated New England in the semi-final of the Northern Tablelands
Council at Armidale. New England were all out for 121 (R.A. Laurie 4-41) and
then the middle order of Nev Holstein, 62 retired and Lance Kermode 57 retired
backed up Herb Laurie’s 41 as Walcha piled on 201. It looks as if Walcha lost
the final to Inverell, based on the last hand-written score in Neville Holstein’s
scrapbook for that season, which has him scoring five against “the highlanders”.
139
C
liff Wheaton of Armidale founded the Wheaton’s Touring Cricket Club
in the belief that “while the British Empire’s institutions are strong, the
Empire will be strong”. Eight Walcha cricketers were in the Wheaton’s team
that participated in the Queensland Country Week Carnival over the ChristmasNew Year week and as the Brisbane paper reported, they turned in some “bright
batting performances”. The Walcha players in the team were Max, Neville, Bill
and Barry Holstein, Bill Wayte, Frank Bowden, Lance Kermode and the captain,
Herb Laurie. Wheaton’s won three matches, lost one and drew one. Herb scored
67 against Monto, the ultimate runners-up. Wheaton’s then played Back Plains
who made 153, Max Holstein taking 5-76 off 18 overs. Wheaton’s replied with
7-355, Lance Kermode 111 in 105 minutes, Herb Laurie 66, Max Holstein 54 and
Neville Holstein 47. In that 337, a staggering 260 came in boundaries. Wouldn’t
have minded being a spectator watching that. Lockyer, defending champions
and ultimate winners again, scored 7-227 (Max Holstein 3-69 off 18 overs) and
Wheaton’s replied with 337, Neville Holstein made 144 including six sixes and
13 fours, Barry Holstein 43 not out and Lance Kermode 40. Actually, I wouldn’t
have minded watching that too. Maroochy made 7-252 and Wheaton’s replied with
308, Neville Holstein 84, Lance Kermode 72, Max Holstein 60 in 38 minutes and
Herb Laurie 45. Mmm, that would have been worth viewing as well. Wheaton’s
batted first on a wet track against League and made 266 in 240 minutes, Herb
Laurie 46, Lance Kermode 41 and Bill Holstein 41. Max Holstein had 4-85 when
rain washed out play. With an aggregate of 250 from five innings and a top score
of 67 Herb Laurie won the Brisbane Telegraph trophy for most consistent player
at Queensland Country Week. The local newspaper dubbed him “Grandfather”, at
the ripe old age of 33, mainly because the average age of the Wheaton’s team was
22. In reply Herb said: “We’ll be back again next Country Week. Wheaton’s team
expresses admiration for the organisation. These were the best cricket fixtures in
my experience. The opposition was good and the umpiring excellent.” The paper
reported: “One of Herb’s three sons, Robert (12) already plays for Wheaton’s Club
in NSW fixtures.” As “Truck” was to reflect many years later: “It was a good way
of travellin’ around.” He eventually took over as quasi organiser of Wheaton’s for
many years.
In club cricket in 1964-65 the first report I encounter has Lance Kermode
hitting “another fine century”. Not quite sure whether he opened the season with
a consecutive tons or whether it was a generic description of his batting. It was
against Nowendoc at Nowendoc in the Turton Cup and he was 113 not out in
Ingleba’s 6-210 (B. Brazel 33; Max Holstein 5-88). It wasn’t enough, Max Holstein
hit 94 and Billy Wayte 45 for the home side, who replied with 5-216 (Gordon
Jamieson 3-53). Not a bad arvo’s cricket that. Nowendoc won the Turton Cup
over Commercial by a mere six runs thanks to a handy Cedric Wright double.
Ceddy knocked up 68 and with help from Billy Holstein’s 42, Nowendoc scored
144, Harry McInerney snaring 5-30 and Owen Sweeney 2-3. Wright then took
5-29 in Commercial’s 138, McInerney scoring 30 in a good double too along with
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Sweeney, 31. Kevin Hoy scored 48 in Swamp’s 137 and then took 6-30 as they
beat Riamukka (80) in the consolation knockout final. In other matches during the
year, Lance Kermode remained 61 not out in a total of 113 but Colts, 125, still won.
Kermode retired on 104 against Round Swamp. A headline reads “Ingalba’s 3-run
Win” then has Ingleba 102 (Will Watson 5-34) beating Riamukka 100 (Aiden Wall
4-37, Bob Bowden 4-21), which would nearly make it a two-run win. Commercial
had some revenge for the Turton Cup loss when they had a rare outright over the
powerhouse Nowendoc thanks to Dud Towers who scored 52 out of 134 (Max
Holstein 6-46) and then took 5-17 in Nowendoc’s 40 (Gordon Macdonald 4-17).
Nowendoc were all out for 84 in their second dig (Jack Hogbin 4-11). Towers and
Macdonald were at it again against Ingleba. Lance Kermode scored 39 out of 89
(Gordon Macdonald 6-49, Dudley Towers 4-33), but Macdonald, 32 and Robin
Croker, 53, helped Commercial to 107 (Bob Bowden 4-16, Aiden Wall 3-28, F.
Bowden 3-36). Max Holstein was in good form in the 1964-65 season. He picked
up 6-55 and top-scored with 55 in a win over Ingleba and then hit 134 against
Riamukka, which included four sixes and 12 fours. Riamukka had scored 181
(Tom Wayte 73, Don Margery 60; Barry Holstein 7-88), but Max made sure it
wasn’t competitive.
Colts seemed to be on the receiving end a bit. Commercial posted 287 against
them (Dud Towers 89, Robin Croker 69, Owen Sweeney 60) before Jack Hogbin
took 7-88 to clean them up for 165 (Chris Tinning 60). Then Round Swamp cleaned
them up for 51 (Alick Bird 3-10, Bruce Croker 3-14) before replying with 174
(Kev Hoy 85 not out; Peter Stinson 5-35). In another match against Commercial,
130, Colts replied with just 13: Bill Monie 0, Revee McCormack 4, Tom Brady
0, N. Callaghan 2, Bill Borthwick 0, V. Callaghan 0, C. Callaghan 0, S. Rogers
not out 1, D. Fletcher 5, Tony Crawford 0, Trevor Klump 0; Gordon Macdonald
3-9, Jack Haynes 5-2, Jack Hogbin 1-1. No doubt N. Callaghan was doing all the
skiting among his family that night. Riamukka were probably cheering when they
dismissed Lance Kermode for three, but fellow opener Gordon Jamieson hit 102
and first-drop B. Brazel 81 in Ingleba’s 235. Riamukka were all out for 113 (Aiden
Wall 3-23, Gordon Jamieson 3-23). It was one for the openers when Ingleba drew
with Riamukka, Lance Kermode retiring on 107 in Ingleba’s 6-204, before Don
Margery opened up with 108 for Riamukka.
The slinging R.A. Laurie was really starting to come into his own in the mid’60s, and he picked up 9-34 when Riamukka dismissed Commercial for 114 (Owen
Sweeney 60). Last man in Graham Croker still talks about “keeping the rampaging
R.A. out the day he took nine-for” as he was the “odd man out”, caught Neville
Holstein, bowled Don Holstein for seven. Round Swamp bowled their entire team
in an attempt to dismiss the big-hitting Nowendoc. Swamp made 99 (Ken Hoy
48; Cedric Wright 5-33, Max Holstein 3-45) before Bill Wayte knocked up 99 in
Nowendoc’s 284 (Ced Wright 59, Bill Holstein 35). Lance Kermode scored 89 in
Ingleba’s 144, too many for Nowendoc’s 116 of which Herb Laurie contributed
70. Harry McInerney and Kev Hoy starred as Commercial played their way into
the final by beating Round Swamp in a two-day match at The Park. Kevin Hoy
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was 57 not out and Ray Hoy made 40 in Swamp’s 136 (Harry McInerney 4-21)
and Commercial replied with 188 (Harry McInerney 56 not out, Jack Hogbin 50;
Kevin Hoy 4-52, Alick Bird 3-50). Swamp made 119 second-time around (Ray
Hoy 41; Harry McInerney 5-26, Jack Hogbin 3-57) and Commercial were 3-70 as
they knocked off the required runs. Riamukka won their semi against Nowendoc,
hitting 157 (Tom Wayte 32, Don Holstein 32; Ced Wright 6-75) before dismissing
Nowendoc for 106 (Barry Holstein 39; R.A. Laurie 3-24, Marsden Green 3-15).
Riamukka then made 208 (Don Margery 65, R. A. Laurie 52, Nev Holstein 50;
Max Holstein 4-86, Ced Wright 4-61) and wrapped up the match by dismissing
Nowendoc for 128 (Billy Wayte 31).
Riamukka were the major premiers for 1964-65, defeating Commercial by
nine wickets. The game was evenly balanced after the first innings. Commercial
made 183 (Bill Russell 37; R.A. Laurie 7-72) according to what can only be
described as an “interesting” match report. The story has Riamukka scoring 210
in their first innings, the published scoreboard has their total at 219, but when the
scores are added up they come to 220! Anyway Neville Holstein made 127 not out
and Herb Laurie, back with Riamukka, 32 while Harry McInerney took 4-48 and
Jack Hogbin 4-29. Commercial were 0-9 at the close of play on day one. But they
only managed 66 in their second dig (Owen Sweeney 25 not out; Nev Holstein 4-6,
Herb Laurie 3-19) and Riamukka were 1-38 to finish it.
Herb Laurie won the 1964-65 batting average and Jack Hogbin the bowling.
Herb batted nine times with two not outs for a total of 349 runs at an average
of 49.85. The other averages higher than 30 were: Nev Holstein 9, 1, 342, 42.75;
Billy Wayte 11, 2, 358, 39.77; Owen Sweeney 12, 1, 407, 37.00; Max Holstein 14,
0, 473, 33.78; Lance Kermode 12, 1, 368, 33.45; Barry Holstein 11,1, 321, 32.10.
Hogbin took 28 wickets for 192 runs at 6.85. Other averages less than 12 were:
R.A. Laurie 45, 478, 10.62; Bob Bowden 35, 381, 10.88; Aiden Wall 25, 290, 11.60;
Max Holstein 43, 502, 11.67; Barry Holstein 33, 386, 11.69.
A good inter-district match took place at The Park in the 1964-65 season when
nearly 500 runs were scored in five-and-a-half hours. Glen Innes were all out
for 172 (Gordon Jamieson 3-57) and then Walcha had some batting practice and
knocked up 7-308. Lance Kermode made 84, Don Margery 53, Nev Holstein 48,
and Barry Holstein 43. Walcha went on to make it to the final, but it wasn’t all easy
going. They defeated Inverell by four runs with two wickets to spare at Inverell.
Aiden Wall took 4-13 in Inverell’s 83 and this may be the game where he discussed
bowling on leg stump. Walcha limped to 87 and Owen Sweeney remained 35 not
out. New England 210 (Barry Holstein 3-33) defeated Walcha 166 (Nev Holstein
58) on the same day the Seconds copped a hiding on The Park. New England
Seconds declared at 8-215 and Walcha were dismissed for 55. The Seconds had
a better result against Glen Innes, who they dismissed for 88 (Aiden Wall 4-35,
F. Bowden 3-36) and then replied with 112 (Bruce Croker 31). Walcha Firsts had
a good win over Guyra at The Park, dismissing the visitors for 107 (R. A. Laurie
4-22, Barry Holstein 3-17) and then declaring at 6-179 (Nev Holstein 71, Owen
Sweeney 33, Don Margery 30).
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The Firsts made it into the final after an exciting win in the semi-final against
Guyra at The Park. Walcha won by a wicket and six runs after the scores had been
level with nine wickets down. Guyra made 191 after being 5-119, Aiden Wall took
the first four wickets and ended up with 5-42 while leggie Barry Holstein picked
up 3-34. Walcha lost openers Don Margery and Herb Laurie for 11, but Lance
Kermode (69) and Neville Holstein (63) put on 109. Walcha lost quick wickets and
were 6-128 before R.A. Laurie joined Kermode for 31-run stand. Bill Wayte came
in at no.10 and with Kermode playing a magnificent innings, took the scores to
level. Kermode was out to the simplest of catches, possibly mistaking the applause
he received for a boundary in the previous over as being for the winning runs.
With fielders crowded around him, last man in Aiden Wall played a cracking cover
drive for four to put the issue beyond doubt. Walcha were beaten by New England
by 90 runs in the final. They were in trouble from the start although it looked like
Neville Holstein and Owen Sweeney in the middle order would carry the score
to respectability, Sweeney playing a sheet-anchor role. Walcha made 146 (Owen
Sweeney 40, Nev Holstein 39) and Armidale replied with 236 (Gordon Jamieson
4-53).
The Second XI were never quite as consistent as the First XI, but they could
never be discounted. One of the problems with a youth policy is that youth might
have to leave town for work or study. In the 1963-64 season they were outrighted
by New England, and copped a hiding at the hands of Tenterfield at Guyra when
Tenterfield managed 8-256 and bowled Walcha out for 60. But they went on to
take the Tablelands Seconds title in 1964-65. They had a good win over Inverell
at the school ground when the visitors made 6-124 and Walcha replied with 5-157
(Gordon Macdonald 45). The Seconds rounded up Tenterfield in the semi with
some help from Dudley Towers, possibly back in town for the season after a
contract dispute with Newtown Rugby League Club in Sydney. Towers, batting at
no.8 was 82 not out in Walcha’s 177 and then combined with Frank Bowden, 4-43
and Ewen Murdoch, 4-26, to dismiss Tenterfield for 151. The win in the Northern
Tablelands final over New England for the Second XI was close, but well-earned.
The feature was Chris Tinning’s 69 not out and his partnership with Bruce Croker
(30) of 82 runs. Walcha dismissed New England for 180, Jack Hogbin taking 5-54,
ably supported by F. Bowden 2-47, and Bruce Croker 2-29. The Walcha batting
card read: Lionel Brazel 7, Roger Hunt 23, Gordon Macdonald 19, Chris Tinning
69 not out, Barry Holstein 0, Dud Towers 1, Bruce Croker 30, Jack Hogbin 16 not
out, total 8-182.
Walcha hosted the Tasmanian Colts in 1964-65 and had a good win on The
Park, which apparently had been prepared superbly. Tasmania were dismissed
for 143 (Max Holstein 3-33, R.A. Laurie 3-45, Aiden Wall 3-35). Opener Don
Margery made 44, but the knock of the day was Owen Sweeney’s 55. R.A. Laurie
batting at no.11 put the icing on the cake with 22. Over the Anzac weekend
Walcha travelled to Coffs Harbour for a return match against Lower Bucca, the
report saying “the Walcha team consisted of mainly Ingalba” players. There are
a couple of players in there definitely not from Ingleba. Coffs Harbour included
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three Weirs, two Howorths and Gordon Jamieson’s brother Mervyn. It was a good
match. Walcha batted first and made 243 (Nev Holstein 94, Billy Wayte 62, Lance
Kermode 36) and dismissed Coffs for 178 (N. Howorth 55, B. Weir 54, J. Weir
32 not out; W. Holstein 5-23, Dud Towers 3-37.) Walcha then declared at 4-196
(Lance Kermode 93, Nev Holstein 35 ret.) and Coffs hit up 5-259 (J. Weir 144, N.
Howorth 54 not out). Walcha also played Peel Valley, the Firsts on The Park and
the Seconds at Bendemeer. Peel Valley Firsts made a respectable 257 (Vern Henry
91, R. Hazlewood 63; R.A. Laurie 4-55, Barry Holstein 3-78), but Walcha were
too strong, replying with 3-302. Lance Kermode scored 106 before retiring while
Neville Holstein made 96, Owen Sweeney was 40 not out and Don Margery made
34. At Bendemeer, Peel Valley Seconds included three Boyds and Fred Henry
among others and made 86 (Ewen Murdoch 3-28) and Walcha replied with 7-90,
Bruce Croker top-scoring with 21.
Walcha players performed well for Wheaton’s on their pilgrimage to
Queensland Country Week over the 1964-65 Christmas-New Year period. Neville
Holstein won the batting average and aggregate trophies for the carnival scoring
323 runs at 80.75 (one not out). Bill Wayte won the wicketkeepers’ trophy for
his 14 dismissals. Wheaton’s came up against a few “name” players including
Sheffield Shield player Don Bichel from Ipswich who in the same season had
picked up 4-59 and 1-88 with his offies against NSW at the ’Gabba. On a wet
track against Ipswich, Wheaton’s managed 101 (Owen Sweeny 24, Nev Holstein
22; Don Bichel 3-6) and Aiden Wall picked up 2-17 as Ipswich scraped home with
109. Wheaton’s were 3-72 in their second dig (Lance Kermode 30). Against Monto
II Aiden Wall picked up 6-36 off 10 overs in their 111 before Herb Laurie, 67, and
Nev Holstein, 50, put Wheaton’s in a strong position. Monto were 7-82 in the
second dig. Walcha’s Wheaton’s batted wonderfully against title-holders Lockyer
in the 7-255, Neville Holstein scoring 92, Herb Laurie 54 and Owen Sweeney 52.
Aiden Wall then picked up 3-37 in Lockyer’s 169. Lance Kermode scored 49 and
Neville Holstein 40 in the 218 against Maroochy, who were all out for 157, Barry
Holstein taking 3-21. Digger Colts made a solid 269, but Wheaton’s replied with
7-288, Neville Holstein hitting 117 not out and Herb Laurie 74.
Lance Kermode, 87, and Bert Brazel 86, were in good early season form for
Ingleba in a Turton Cup win over Riamukka in 1965-66. Nowendoc won the 196566 Turton Cup, dismissing Ingleba for 83 (Max Holstein 4-31, Cedric Wright 4-33)
and were 6-117 when the game finished. Dick Wayte took a hat-trick in his 3-2 off
one over, but it wasn’t enough, Herb Laurie already contributing 48. But the season
would be remembered for a sad moment, and a reminder to everyone then and now,
of what’s so great about Walcha cricket. In the game between Ingleba and Colts at
Ingleba, a minute’s silence was held before the start of play in memory of Walcha
cricket’s most ardent supporter, the patron and former fast bowler Cec Macdonald.
Colts, who had been struggling in previous seasons, won the match outright thanks
to fine bowling performances by Denis Hatch (6-28 and 6-26) and Keith Hazell
(4-24 and 4-30). Colts went on to make the semis but were beaten by Riamukka.
Max Holstein completed a fine double for Nowendoc in the 1965-66 season
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against his former teammates Riamukka when took a hat-trick opening the bowling
in his 7-17 and then opened the batting and retired on a neat 100. Riamukka were
all out for 21, Nev Holstein top-scoring with nine and there were six ducks. Cedric
Wright picked up 3-4. Nowendoc rubbed the salt in by blasting 263, with their top
four batsmen all retiring. Apart from Max’s ton, Herb Laurie retired on 23, Ceddy
Wright on 34 and Bill Wayte on 41. Riamukka were 8-194 in their second innings
after Don Margery retired on 67 and Neville Holstein on 63. Max and Nowendoc
were at it again when they played Commercial. Nowendoc rattled up 306, Max run
out 71, Ced Wright 69 retired, Herb Laurie 49, John Wayte 34, Rod Aynsley 30,
before dismissing Commercial for 46 (Max Holstein 5-17; Ced Wright 3-21) and 36
(Ced Wright 3-12). Cedric Wright scored 102 and Bill Wayte 51 out of Nowendoc’s
213 against Round Swamp who they then dismissed for 59 (Max Holstein 4-17).
But it didn’t always go their way. Colts made 147 and with Billy Wayte in form it
didn’t look too big an ask. He made 97, but Nowendoc were all out for 144 (Denis
Hatch 7-61). Nowendoc were in the firing line again when Kevin Hoy made 104
out of 191 for Swamp and then Alick Bird 4-11 and Neville King 4-4 helped roll
Nowendoc for 45. Commercial also had a solid outright win over Nowendoc. They
dismissed Nowendoc for 62 (Robin Croker 4-3, Peter Stinson 3-23) then declared
at 7-209 (Harry McInerney 81, Owen Sweeney 57) before dismissing Nowendoc in
the second dig for 57 (Peter Stinson 5-8, Owen Sweeney 3-9).
In one of the greatest matches played in the Walcha comp, Riamukka, 3-307
defeated Nowendoc 266. Playing time was 270 minutes and 573 runs were
scored. Nowendoc batted first and Cedric Wright was run out for 92 and Herb
Laurie contributed 57 (Will Watson 3-39, Barry Holstein 5-90). Neville Holstein
remained 125 not out, Barry Holstein 106 not out and R.A. Laurie hit 62. This may
have been the game where Barry Holstein came in at 5.35 and they gave him one
more over at 6 o’clock when he was 92 not out for the chance at a ton. A total of
394 runs came in boundaries in the game including 19 sixes and 70 fours. Seventythree overs were bowled with an average of 7.89 runs per over. I always thought
they stonewalled too much down there. Neville Holstein made 79, Don Holstein
51 and Barry Holstein 41 and R.A. Laurie took 7-27 in an easy Riamukka win
over Ingleba. Herb Laurie remained 103 not out for Nowendoc in a drawn game
with Colts.
Walcha Road were playing in the Peel Valley comp and Jim Boyd hit a fine 137
not out against Bendemeer out of 7-208 and then took 3-33 in Bendy’s 124.
Commercial were minor premiers but Round Swamp rounded them up to
force their way into the 1965-66 final. Alick Bird made 46 and Kev Hoy 30 in
Swamp’s 167 (Harry McInerney 3-55, Peter Stinson 4-35) and Commercial only
managed 132 in reply (Owen Sweeney 38, Harry McInerney 30; Alick Bird 6-33,
Roy Chandler 4-52). Swamp then made 132 (Ray Hoy 57; Peter Stinson 6-57) and
knocked over Commercial for 63 (Kev Hoy 4-33, Nev King 5-15).
The 1965-66 final was played between Round Swamp and Riamukka with
Swamp ending day one needing 174 for victory. Riamukka made 198 (R.A. Laurie
88, Nev Holstein 67; Kev Hoy 4-32) and Swamp replied with 227 (Ken Hoy 60,
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Lloyd Ryan 50 not out; R.A. Laurie 5-63). Riamukka then made 243 (Nev Holstein
79, Don Margery 43, R.A. Laurie 42, Barry Holstein 36; Kev Hoy 7-69). Round
Swamp were 3-43 at stumps with Ray Hoy 28 not out and Kev Hoy 4 not out. It
turned into a classic final. Round Swamp needed 215 in their second dig and were
5-198 and staring victory in the face. But Barry Holstein ended up with 5-31 and
the last fall of wickets read 5-198, 6-205, 7-206, 8-206, 9-211 and all out for 211, a
mere four runs separating the two teams after two innings.
Lance Kermode was in great touch and his form for the past five years was
rewarded with selection in Country Firsts, but he was second in the Walcha
averages in the 1965-66 season to another Country player, Neville Holstein. Neville
batted 12 times with three not outs compiling 766 runs for an average of 85.11. He
was followed by Lance Kermode, 13, 3, 651, 65.10; Herb Laurie 10, 2, 452, 56.50;
Max Holstein 17, 1, 670, 41.87; Harry McInerney 14, 3, 387, 35.18. Barry Holstein
batted eight times with three not outs and hit 355 runs for an average of 71.00, but
10 innings were required to be eligible. Jack Hogbin won the bowling, taking 22
wickets for 229 runs at 10.40. He was followed by Harry McInerney who was in
good all-round form, 51, 542, 10.62; Aiden Wall 55, 662, 12.03; Denis Hatch 58,
729, 12.56 and Will Watson 29, 390 12.44.
Walcha were off to a flying start in Tablelands matches in 1965-66. The
First XI dismissed New England for 144 thanks to Roy Chandler’s 4-51 and
R.A.Laurie’s 3-33 and passed Armidale’s score with five wickets down eventually
scoring 173 (Nev Holstein 62, Herb Laurie 47). Denis Hatch scored a ton for the
Second XI at the Armidale sportsground in a good win to open the season as
well. Walcha scored 205 (Hatch 100 not out) and opened the bowling with Keith
Hazell and Round Swamp right-arm orthodox Bruce Croker. It was tight for a
while but Armidale were all out for 190 (Bruce Croker 5-89, Chris Tinning 3-42).
Roy Chandler continued his phenomenal form against Guyra at Guyra when he
took 4-38 in their 138 and then Lance Kermode, 52, and Max Holstein, 41, ensured
a Walcha win. The Seconds played Guyra on The Park and had a good win too.
Chris Tinning made 44 and Bruce Croker 28 not out in Walcha’s 168 and Guyra
were dismissed for 91, Bill Johnston taking 3-28 and Denis Hatch 3-6. Inverell
presented a sterner challenge for the Firsts at The Park when they compiled 268, of
which Rick McCosker contributed 73, and left Walcha 180 minutes to score them.
But Neville Holstein showed off bush cricket at its best to the future Australian
opener in hitting 108 not out. Lance Kermode made 67, and Harry McInerney
42 as Walcha finished in a canter with eight wickets down. Walcha took the
great form in against Tenterfield and dismissed them for 74 (Max Holstein 3-23,
Roy Chandler 3-14) knocked up 8(dec)-212 (Herb Laurie 45, Don Margery 38,
R.A. Laurie 32 not out, Bill Wayte 31) and then rolled Tenterfield for 59 (Harry
McInerney 7-23) for an outright. The Seconds did it reasonably easily as well,
scoring 150 after being sent in (Roger Hunt 43, Chris Tinning 38) and dismissing
Tenterfield for 102 (Denis Hatch 3-35, Barry Holstein 3-20). Walcha Firsts and
Seconds had good wins over Glen Innes in the last district games before the semis.
The First XI dismissed Glen Innes for 64 (R.A. Laurie 5-13, Max Holstein 4-47)
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and then hit 196 with a solid scoresheet right through. The Second XI played Glen
Innes at The Park and made 195 (Denis Hatch 51, Chris Tinning 34) and dismissed
Glen for 127 (Denis Hatch 3-50, Barry Holstein 5-29). The semi-finals were a
different story. The Firsts played Glen Innes again, who won the toss and sent
Walcha in. Walcha only made 92 (Lance Kermode 46). It might have been enough
if not for dropped catches and at one stage Glen were 7-52, but went on to make
110 (Max Holstein 3-23). Walcha gambled on an outright and declared at 1-124 in
the second dig (Max Holstein 57 not out, Nev Holstein 45 not out). This left Glen
needing 116 and they were 3-93 at stumps. The Seconds went down to Guyra in
their semi in a very tight game. Walcha made 101, Roger Hunt top-scoring with
24 and Guyra were 7-91, 8-97 and 9-98 and needed three runs to win with the last
pair at the wicket. They were saved by their no.10 P. Hickey, who scored 42 out of
their 9-105 (Denis Hatch 5-31).
In the great tradition of playing as much quality cricket as possible, Walcha
hosted the touring New Zealand Canterbury Kiwi Colts in 1965-66. It was an
entertaining game won by the visitors, who batted brightly after being sent in by
Herb Laurie and scored 240 in 173 minutes. Roy Chandler, 4-78 and R. A. Laurie
3-39 were the best of Walcha’s bowlers. The locals were fighting for runs from the
start and were really behind the eight ball after the dismissals of Don Margery, 31,
and Neville Holstein, 49. The cricket was bright and Walcha scored at more than a
run a minute in tallying 132 in 120 minutes.
Peel Valley, bolstered by the Coleman cricketing clan, turned the tables from
the previous year too. The Firsts travelled to Bendemeer and Peel knocked up
226 (Roy Chandler 5-82) and dismissed Walcha for 126 (Owen Sweeney 51). The
Seconds won again though, at The Park. Walcha made 194 (Jack Hogbin 58, our
old mate W. Fletcher 38, F. Bowden 32 not out and Dud Towers 30) and dismissed
Peel Seconds for 105 (K. Hoy 5-19).
Some time in this period Herb Laurie and Lance Kermode shared an opening
partnership of l77 for Northern Tablelands against Far North-West XI at Walgett.
Kermode hit 120 before lunch. Herb was told by state selector Jack Chegwyn that
he and Lance would be the opening pair for Country, probably Firsts.
The 1965-66 season was also the one in which Wheaton’s embarked on a
grand Tasmanian venture with many Walcha players in tow. They left Sydney on
the Empress Of Australia on January 29 and arrived in Tasmania on February
1 and as the report says “. . . they hoped to be cricketers, because they definitely
were not sailors”. And they definitely had no idea the trouble the trip would cause
to NSW cricket and the careers of some great players.
Commercial won the 1966-67 Turton Cup, Round Swamp the Yalgoo Shield,
Nowendoc the News Cup and Riamukka the Consolation.
Revee McCormack could be described as unheralded in the annals of Walcha
cricket, but he went through his own little purple patch in the mid-’60s, opening for
Colts and the Walcha 2nd XI. In the first Turton Cup game of 1966-67 he hit 49 in
a win over Round Swamp and was consistent contributor for the rest of the season
without going on to a huge score. Colts 147 (Warwick Fletcher 46, Bob Burnett 32;
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Dick Wayte 3-22) defeated Ingleba 124 (R. Brazel 41, Warren Bailey 4-11) to reach
the Turton Cup final against Commercial. But the season would be remembered
for another Colts “performance”. Colts dismissed Walcha Road for 59 (Jim Laurie
5-15, Keith Hazell 5-24) and were four down for what they thought was 60. Chris
Tinning was scoring and promptly informed skipper Jim Laurie they were “in
front”. Sensing an outright, Laurie promptly declared. Walcha Road went over
the books like a forensic accountant, discovered an anomaly over two runs and
informed Colts they’d declared one run behind and had lost on first innings. Road
were 9-91 in the second dig, a fired-up Jim Laurie taking 6-39.
Max Holstein opened the season with 81 against Riamukka but one of the
picks of the season was Nowendoc up against Ingleba. The hardheads and
the entertainers turned it on. Lance Kermode scored 71 in Ingleba’s 110, Max
Holstein taking 6-28. Aiden Wall (3-57) and Gordon Jamieson (6-23) thought it
was defendable, but Ced Wright hit 72 in Nowendoc’s 151. Jim Laurie was at his
devastating best against Riamukka on The Park. Denis Hatch scored 61 in Colts’
233 and then Jim Laurie took 7-19 off 10.4 overs as Riamukka were all out for
85 in 20 overs. Colts’ Denis Hatch picked up where he left off in 1965-66. Colts
made 147 (Chris Tinning 42, Revee McCormack 38; Lincoln Wright 8-47) and
dismissed Nowendoc for 102 (Ced Wright 51; Denis Hatch 7-38 off 13 overs).
Hatch’s Colts made it through to the final but there were some other noteworthy
performances. Kevin Hoy top-scored with 36 and then took 8-34 for round Swamp
in a win over Ingleba. But Ingleba scored 195 against eventual premiers Nowendoc
with Lance Kermode scoring 62 and Aiden Wall 41 before Wall 4-8 and Gordon
Jamieson 4-4 cleaned up Nowendoc for 31 in 19 overs. Ingleba attempted an
outright over Walcha Road after Aiden Wall took 8-27 in Road’s 111 (Mike Toshack
72). Lance Kermode made 70 and R. Brazel 46 in Ingleba’s 4(dec)-148 and despite
Frank Bowden’s 8-18 Road staved off the outright at 9-50. Walcha Road were on
the receiving end a fair bit, but they did have a good come-from-behind win over
Nowendoc. Road were all out for 41 (John Wayte 4-12) and Nowendoc replied with
77 (E. Wright 30; Jim Boyd 4-38, Ray Boyd 3-6). Walcha Road then replied with
4-150 (Peter Boyd 68 not out) and rolled Nowendoc for 47 (Peter Boyd 4-20, Jim
Boyd 3-11). I’m not sure both sides had a full complement of players.
In other performances Cedric Wright scored 73 not out in Nowendoc’s 150
(Stan Chandler 4-17 and Commercial could only mange 105 of which Owen
Sweeney made 63 (Jack Wayte 4-27). Lance Kermode hit 113 not out against Colts
(13 fours and two sixes) in 4-(dec)183 (B. Brazel 38) but Colts 7-58 hung on for a
draw (F. Bowden 4-14). Ingleba 181 (R. Wall 54, D. Steel 35 not out) outrighted
Walcha Road 103 (Aiden Wall 6-41) and 42 (Aiden Wall 3-4). A couple of drawn
games worth a look, especially between old rivals. Round Swamp compiled 345
against Nowendoc with Nev King retiring on 103, Kev Hoy hitting 65 and Ken
Hoy 42. Max Holstein was then 117 not out in Nowendoc’s 3-206 (Cedric Wright
52). Neville Holstein hit 128 not out in Riamukka’s 204 but Commercial hung on
and were 7-173.
In the upset of the year Walcha Road defeated Riamukka. Geoff Eliott top148
Neville Holstein’s scrapbooks are as beautifully and thoughtfully compiled
as one of his centuries . . . One man’s cricket career from 1952 to 1997 in
newsprint, 33,000-plus runs and counting from how many teams, tours
and grounds around the world?
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scored with 37 in a meagre 108 (R.A. Laurie 4-52, Nev Holstein 3-15), but Road
rounded up Riamukka for 100, despite Don Holstein’s 49 not out. The scoreboard
suggests Riamukka only had nine men, but still a good effort. I’m unsure if this
is the game Peter Boyd (4-44) refers to in which his father Jim (3-48) mankaded a
batsman. Two other games of interest, one for the introduction of one of Walcha’s
great cricketers and the other purely for its low scores. Ingleba’s 54 (R.A. Laurie
6-14, Nev Holstein 3-6) was enough to defeat Riamukka 45 (Aiden Wall 6-20,
Gordon Jamieson 2-4, Bob Bowden 2-21) Lance Kermode top-scored for Ingleba
with 22, Pete Laurie for Riamukka with 16. The match was completed in 30 overs,
15 apiece. Ingleba made a remarkable last-wicket stand to defeat Commercial
at The Park. Commercial had scored 84 (Aiden Wall 7-36) and Ingleba were
9-64 when Don Kermode and 13-year-old Denis Wall partnered-up. Needing 20
runs, Kermode smacked three fours and some singles and with Denis added 54.
Kermode ended up with 33 and Denis 18 not out.
In another low scorer Round Swamp dismissed Colts for 52 (Alick Bird 4-22,
Kev Hoy 3-26, Nev King 2-0) but then fell two runs short on 50 (Jim Laurie 6-11;
Dick Macarthur-Onslow 4-27). Cedric Wright hit 101 retired out of 240 including
five sixes and five fours, and Max Holstein 57 and Herb Laurie 35 in a draw with
Nowendoc. Peter Boyd took 7-50 is dismissing Commercial for 137 but Jack
Hogbin replied with 6-9 and Ron Moffitt with 3-16 and Road were gone for 83.
Revee McCormack hit 63 in Colts’ 163 (Peter Stinson 6-37) and it was too many
for Commercial’s 94 (Keith Hazell 7-36). Max Holstein was in a belligerent mood
against Walcha Road. He was not out 105 out of 7-184 and then took 5-8 and 3-13
in Road’s 37 and 30 (Jack Hicks 3-1).
Other good performances during the year were Kevin Hoy’s 151 retired against
Nowendoc, who were all out for 21. Alick Bird took 5-7 and Kev Hoy 3-11 before
Kev Hoy charged to his huge score. On the same weekend Kevin took 6-28 and
scored 57 in a win over Walcha Road. It was a topsy-turvey year for Nowendoc
before they reached the final. They outrighted Colts thanks to Max Holstein’s 102
and despite Dick Macarthur-Onslow’s 5-65. Max and Cedric Wright in the first
innings were too good for Colts and Lincoln Wright and R. A. Laurie in the second.
Ingleba dismissed Nowendoc for 115 (Cedric Wright 31, Herb Laurie 43 not out;
Aiden Wall 5-49, Gordon Jamieson 4-50) and then scored 9-138 (Gordon Jamieson
73 retired). Stan Chandler took the remarkable figures of 4-1 for Commercial in a
win over Riamukka.
Colts defeated Ingleba and Nowendoc defeated Round Swamp in the 1966-67
semi-finals. Colts made 118 (Warwick Fletcher 44; Aiden Wall 4-21) and dismissed
Ingleba for 75 (Jim Laurie 5-20, Keith Hazell 4-33). Colts then tallied 76 (Aiden
Wall 8-24) leaving the game wide open, but rolled Ingleba for 89 (Jim Laurie 4-36,
Keith Hazell 4-38). Nowendoc batted first in their semi and hit 132 (Bill Holstein
45, Herb Laurie 32). Round Swamp made an innovative and daring declaration at
8-78 (Max Holstein 5-26) in an attempt for an outright, but Nowendoc batted it out
for 3-112 in their dig to win on first innings.
Nowendoc won the 1966-67 final by six wickets at The Park. Only three runs
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separated the teams after the first innings. Colts made 134 with Denis Hatch
scoring 42 and opener Keith Hazell 29. Max Holstein took 7-51. Colts, were 1-41
but lost their next three wickets for one run. The best partnership was between
Warwick Fletcher and Denis Hatch who put on 51. Nowendoc replied with 131.
Herb Laurie made 44 and Billy Holstein 40 while Jim Laurie took 4-32 and Hazell,
also opening the bowling, took 4-48. Colts only managed 74 in their second
innings, last man in Warren Bailey top-scoring with 22 and no.9 Dick MacarthurOnslow 17 not out. The wrecker was again Max Holstein with 5-35 and Ced Wright
took 4-36. Nowendoc only needed 78 and finished at 4-81 (Jim Laurie 3-32).
Lance Kermode won the batting trophy of 1966-67 and Jim Laurie the bowling.
Laurie had settled in the area from Sydney where he played first grade for Northern
District and was timed at 90mph. It must have been confusing enough for scorers
at district level with the Holsteins and Lauries already playing. Jim Laurie was no
relation to Herb and R.A., but the Walcha opening attack would read R.A. Laurie
and J. Laurie for a few seasons and with great success. Interesting to know what
Jim Laurie thought of things when he came to Walcha. He was from Sydney first
grade, yet many of Walcha cricketers he played with and against, certainly his
WDCA First XI team-mates, were Sydney first-grade standard. But the conditions
were another thing. He came from the manicured council-maintained turf of
Sydney grade to the foot-high paspalum at Round Swamp and the cattle dung at
Nowendoc and matting wickets. As Swamp’s Gordon Bird said: “He could get a
ball to lift around your lughole.”
Lance Kermode batted 14 times with two not outs for 674 runs at 56.16. He was
followed by: Neville Holstein 15, 4, 674, 52.81; Cedric Wright 15, 2, 541, 41.52;
Max Holstein 16, 1, 525, 35.00; Owen Sweeney 11, 1, 325, 32.50 and Kevin Hoy 17,
0, 549, 32.29. Jim Laurie took 33 wickets for 158 at the very respectable 4.78. He
was followed by Lincoln Wright 23, 171, 7.43; Aiden Wall 68, 518, 7.61; Nev King
26, 206, 7.92; Kevin Hoy 50, 420, 8.40 and Gordon Jamieson 31, 267, 8.61. That’s
a good double by Kevin Hoy.
In inter-district cricket in 1966-67 Herb Laurie and Max Holstein put on 136
against Guyra at The Park in what was described as one of the best opening stands
witnessed in many years. The runs came in 140 minutes in bad light. Guyra had
scored 8-173 in their three hours thanks to a neat hundred by David Lawrie. R.A.
Laurie used to call David Lawrie his “four-i’ed” cousin and he was a great mate of
many Walcha cricketers, playing alongside them as he did for Northern Tablelands
or Wheaton’s. R.A. took 4-44 before Herb, 77, and Max, 54, put Walcha in sight
of victory. Walcha slumped to 5-155 and a shower threatened a draw, but Neville
Holstein and Chris Tinning saw Walcha home. It was a low-scoring affair for
the Seconds, with Walcha only managing 71 and Guyra passing that with seven
wickets down. The Seconds were in better form against New England and
recorded a 90-run win on The Park. Walcha batted first and were 3-11 but Dick
Macarthur-Onslow, 53, Keith Hazell 25 and Bob Burnett 24 helped Walcha to 152.
New England were 5-25 and never recovered, all out 62 with Dick MacarthurOnslow 4-25 and Keith Hazell 4-25 recording good doubles. It wasn’t always so
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good. The Firsts could only field 10 in a home-game loss to Glen Innes and their
84 runs in the 155-minute first session and eventual 9-153 was described as one
of their worst batting performances. The Seconds lost to Glen Innes by 99 runs.
The Firsts had a better time of it against New England in Armidale. They sent
New England in on a wet track and dismissed them for 143 (R.A. Laurie 4-44).
Walcha were 5-84 but a Denis Hatch’s 60 carried them home. Aiden Wall and
the Holsteins gave Tenterfield a touch-up. Tenterfield only made 137 (Wall 5-27)
and Walcha replied with 9-275. Bill Holstein retired on 61, Max clubbed 53 and
Barry batting at no.9 hit 80 in 20 minutes. It was a comfortable win over Inverell
at Inverell. The home side made 158 (R.A. Laurie 4-29) and Lance Kermode 74
not out and Owen Sweeney 41 guided Walcha to victory. The Seconds had a close
battle with Inverell on The Park on the same day. Dick Macarthur-Onslow took
7-39 in restricting Inverell to 107, but Walcha were nine down before they passed
the score.
The Firsts lost their semi-final to Glen Innes at The Park. Glen made 209 (R.A.
Laurie 4-34) and Walcha only managed 138 (Nev Holstein 63, Barry Holstein 32).
Fakes had a good game for Glen with 86 and 4-43. The Seconds had a narrow win
over Guyra at Guyra. Walcha made 193 (Keith Hazell 77, Gordon Jamieson 40)
and things were tight until the home side were all out for 184 (Gordon Jamieson
5-42, Bob Bowden 3-40). The Seconds were beaten by New England in the final.
New England made 116 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 3-28, Gordon Jamieson 3-36
and Bob Bowden 2-2 off four overs). Victory was certainly in sight for Walcha
at 1-46 but the next nine batsmen could only manage 46 between them. Revee
McCormack opened, was the sixth wicket to fall, and top-scored with 45.
Walcha hosted the Tasmanian Colts and had first use of the wicket, but only
managed 149 (Herb Laurie 48) and Tasmania replied with 5-250.
Wheaton’s took a First and Second XI to Brisbane Country Week and several
Walcha players were included. The Firsts were undefeated and Lance Kermode
won the S. Jamieson Trophy for the first century of the carnival, 111 not out. He
also scored a 108 not out and Neville Holstein hit an 85.
At some stage around this period Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode put on
a devastating partnership for the Tablelands against North-West at Quirindi when
they scored 121 off John Gleeson’s mystery spin bowling in nine overs. Gleeson
was Australia’s spinner the next year. This may have been the match when Ron
Green bowled well for the Tablelands XI, taking five wickets and four of these
caught at first slip.
Aiden Wall’s president’s report for the season was a bit of a triumph. He
congratulated the trophy winners, Lance Kermode for the batting, Jim Laurie for
the bowling, “and an A. Wall for most wickets, 68” in a season. Not a bad effort
that. Aiden noted that each club brought a formidable side to every competition
and all the matches were closely contested. “The semi-finals were particularly
hard-fought and the finals saw a very hard match,” he said. In inter-district the
Firsts made the semis, only to be beaten by Glen Innes, while the Seconds made
the final only to lose to Armidale.
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“For a small town it would be fair to claim this as a very formidable record and
my congratulations to those sides for their achievement.
“This year Walcha once again hosted the Tasmanian Colts who reversed the
decision of two years previous by beating our First Grade side quite comfortably.
Walcha is fortunate to stage these matches, but I feel our opportunities would be
increased with the advent of a turf wicket.
Aiden noted that Walcha had staged its first-ever single-wicket competition,
a “resounding success” and that a “further way to brighten our cricket would be
to run a knock-out competition in which each side would bat for one hour only”.
Aiden was sure if it was implemented “some entertaining cricket would be played”.
Finally he thanked those who gave up their time to coach juniors.
“The very life and existence of cricket depends upon the encouragement and
coaching of juniors” and he suggested setting up a junior cricket association.
Responses to initiatives like World Series Cricket in the 1970s, and Twenty-20
cricket varied, but innovations to the game are not always driven by television
interests. Walcha has always tried to attract more players and interest through
spicing things up. And almost 20 years on from mayor Charlie Rowe’s grand
vision of Walcha’s Park hosting first-class matches on a turf wicket, momentum is
building, at least for the wicket. A hundred years on the importance of juniors is
still recognised by Walcha.
T
he 1967-68 season was one of the most pivotal and dramatic in Walcha cricket
history and remembered for many things. The fully-fledged arrival of the baby
boomers was countered by a fairly significant departure. Warwick Fletcher was
establishing himself. Denis Wall had turned out for Ingleba the previous year as
a 13-year-old, and Robert Blomfield, was home. They were full-timers now and
big-timers too. Others included Irwin Brazel, local schoolboys Tony Bowden and
Peter Makeham. Blomfield was straight in the inter-district side and R.G. [Truck
or Rob] Laurie played his first semi-final, and what a nail-biter it was. In an early
match Irwin Brazel came in at third wicket down for Ingleba against Riamukka
and remained 75 not out. Lance Kermode, 49, also helped the total to 171. Barry
Holstein took 4-57 and then whacked 79, but it wasn’t enough and Riamukka
fell 35 runs short. The thought of the boomers, including the established Barry
Holstein, combining with Lance Kermode and the remnants of the recipients
of the post-War competition builders to take Walcha into another purple patch
must have been enticing. As Rob Laurie recalled, when he and Irwin first started
playing inter-district and Wheaton’s cricket, they were batting at no.7 and no.8,
“and Irwin turned to me one day and said ‘I wish these old bastards would hurry
up and get out, I want a bat’.” The impatience of youth. It was only one line said in
jest during one innings in one game, but fate shouldn’t be tempted, she’s a cruel
mistress. In the end it wasn’t the “old” bastards that “got out”.
It was also the season in which the ball started rolling in relation to getting a
turf wicket. In July of 1967 association president Aiden Wall informed his special
sub-committee of a meeting for August and an item on the agenda was “Turf
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wicket – method of approach to shire and part to be played by this association”.
In September 1969 Davey Fletcher wrote to not only the Walcha Council but also
Elspeth Howie at the Northern Tablelands enquiring about the cost of putting
down a turf wicket at The Park. Those of you amazed at the “drop-in wickets”
used in Test matches today might be interested to read part of Davey’s letter to
Miss Howie:
“We were wondering which would be the better wicket, (a) the permanent
pitch, which has a lot of preparation to be done and which takes a lot of work to be
kept in order, or (b) An artificial turf which you roll out.”
Twenty years on from his father and uncles maintaining The Park with
their own mower, Davey Fletcher is looking at cutting-edge technology for a
Walcha turf. It’s an extraordinary contribution from one family over a number of
generations. Davey also wrote to other associations asking of their experiences in
putting down a turf wicket.
The 1967-68 season started with a Lance Kermode 86 for Ingleba in their
165. Barry Holstein took 4-46 and then retired on 51 after he and brother Neville,
48, steered Riamukka, 191, to victory despite Aiden Wall’s 6-52. The form of
the established players and the emergence of some great talent boded well for
the continuation of the golden age. Walcha hadn’t won Northern Tablelands
for a few years, but were making the semis in both grades and the local school
and boarding schools were providing quality players. Centuries, hat-tricks and
surprises awaited.
In one of the best examples, Denis Wall helped take Walcha Central School to
the final of the Northern Daily Leader Shield against Manilla. Walcha won, thanks
mainly to the town-comp hardened ability of Denis. His pedigree suggested a
grand cricket career, but coming in to Andy Fletcher’s coaching clinics had
some impact, as much in socialisation skills as cricket skills. Aided and abetted
by starting his senior career as a 13-year-old and the burgeoning fixture list of
the Walcha Central School he found himself in 1968 in a Northern Daily Leader
Shield final with the figures of 8-6 off five overs including a hat-trick. Despite
being encouraged to bowl right-arm orthodox by Lance Kermode, Denis opened
the bowling for the school. The tailenders were in his sights along with a 10-wicket
haul. Captain Tony Bowden “relieved” Denis, who said he’s forgiven him but
never forgotten. This was the beginning of a great tradition in Walcha cricket.
A decade on from the opening of Walcha’s secondary department in 1956 the
school was in a competition and Aiden Wall’s plan for entry into the New England
junior comp soon came to fruition. There was a great symbiosis. Battle-tough kids
from Walcha senior cricket weren’t daunted by school or schoolboy competitions,
but the competitions in turn provided a springboard for youngsters into grade.
Denis Wall, Tony Bowden and Peter Makeham from this era went on to represent
Northern Tableland Colts at the J.S. White carnival. They were followed by other
Walcha Central School Northern Daily Leader Shield stars Peter Natty, Stephen
Goodwin and Mark Peters into the Tablelands Under-21 side.
In other 1967-68 Turton Cup games Lincoln Wright, 51, and Cedric Wright
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47 helped Nowendoc to 175 (Kevin Hoy 4-36), too many for Round Swamp 145
(Nev King 36; Max Holstein 6-50). Jack Davis, 50, and Dudley Starr 30, helped
a nine-man Commercial, 5-126, to victory over Colts, 5-115 (Chris Tinning 66).
Walcha Road were on the improve. The Road started the season with an outright
over Ingleba despite being behind by 28 runs on the first innings and thanks to
a sporting declaration. Ingleba were restricted to 96 courtesy of Mike Toshack
whose 5-12 off four overs included a hat-trick. Walcha Road were all out for 68
(Aiden Wall 5-36, Gordon Jamieson 4-15) and then Jamieson opened and hit 54
not out and Ingleba declared at 1-76 thinking an outright was there for the taking.
But Road were 8-107 when they knocked up the required runs (Ross Steel 38;
Aiden Wall 4-39, Gordon Jamieson 4-29). Mike Toshack, 53, and Jim Boyd, 39,
helped Walcha Road to 168 (Joe Peacock 5-79), way too many for Commercial,
67, thanks to Jim Boyd, 8-29, and his great double. Commercial only batted for
10 overs.
During the season Walcha Road defeated the competition leaders Nowendoc
with the father and son combination of Jim and Peter Boyd. Walcha Road only
made 106 (“Rodent” Aynsley 4-22) but they routed Nowendoc for only 27 in
nine overs. Peter Boyd took 5-11 and dismissed four Nowendoc bats in five balls,
missing the hat-trick by one ball in the middle of the sequence. Jim Boyd took
3-16. Mike Toshack scored 73 out of 113 against Round Swamp, but Kevin Hoy
was having a super season. He took 6-42 and then scored 122 not out in Swamp’s
5(dec)-188. Gordon Jamieson just kept on performing. He hit 60 and took 5-46 for
Ingleba, but Neville Holstein’s 8-41, Don Margery’s 42 and Barry Holstein’s 48
meant a Riamukka win. Neville also notched up 133 in a draw with Round Swamp
for whom Ken Hoy hit 60. In a tight, low-scoring match, Neville Holstein opened
the bowling against Colts and took 3-8 as Chris Tinning hit 33 in a total of 84.
Riamukka were 9-79 but eventually made 92 (Barry Holstein 42; Jim Laurie 4-44,
Dick Macarthur-Onslow 5-38). Neville Holstein hit 149 for Riamukka and brother
Barry 32 in their 208, but Nowendoc replied with 5-218 thanks to Max Holstein’s
98 not out and Cedric Wright’s 65. Gordon Brooks took a hat-trick now playing for
Commercial (90) in his 6-45 but it wasn’t enough for victory over Round Swamp
(94) for whom Nev King had taken 5-35 and Joe Peacock 4-34. Lance Kermode
scored two centuries in two days. He made 103 in Ingleba’s 4(dec)- 216 (B. Brazel
67 not out) before Denis Wall 5-23 went through Walcha Road, 95. Kermode then
remained 114 not out in a total of 188 against Nowendoc who were 3-129 at stumps
(Max Holstein 55). Kermode scored his third consecutive century, 106 against
Commercial on The Park, in Ingleba’s 210 (Gordon Jamieson 63). Commercial
made 100 (Denis Wall 4-17, Bob Bowden 3-27) and 85 (Aiden Wall 4-28, Gordon
Jamieson 3-37). Kevin Hoy continued his big scoring, hitting 130 for Round
Swamp against Ingleba, who were all out for 53. It was a Kev Hoy, Alick Bird
double act. They were the only two bowlers for Swamp, Bird taking 6-14 and
Kevin 3-39, before Kev hit his big ton and Alick scored 60 in Swamp’s 244. Jim
Laurie hit 104 not out in Colts’ 4(dec)-198 who dismissed Ingleba for 154 (Gordon
Jamieson 65, Lance Kermode 37; Jim Laurie 5-62, Rob Blomfield 3-42). Alick
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Bird top-scored with 60 in Swamp’s 148 against Colts and then son Gordon Bird
took a hat-trick in his 5-11 off four overs.
The Walcha News of November 16, 1967, recorded Jim Laurie scoring 132 and
taking 11-46 in an outright over Walcha Road and Max Holstein scoring a ton on
the same weekend.
Robert Blomfield scored 101 against Commercial in a drawn game. Nowendoc
and Riamukka also played a drawn match with Herb Laurie batting for an hour
and 50 minutes for 37 not out and George Lyon jnr batting for 57 minutes for
seven. Nowendoc’s score reads 10-82, but it was a draw, both teams played with
12 men. Whoever said they make up their own rules down there? Colts drew
with Commercial but not before Robert Blomfield had taken 6-38. You wonder
if Colts ever recovered from declaring behind against Walcha Road? They did go
on to make the semis that season thanks to performances like this, and possible
retribution. They outrighted Walcha Road after declaring at 4-203. Jim Laurie
made 132 including 11 fours and seven sixes. He then snared 7-15 in Road’s firstinnings 44 and 4-31 in their second innings 88 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 6-51).
Max Holstein hit 105 for Nowendoc in a win over Commercial including seven
sixes and with Bill Holstein (56) put on 152 for the third wicket. Joe Peacock took
6-54 for Commercial. Robert Blomfield scored 57 out of Colts’ 122, not enough
against Nowendoc for whom Billy Holstein, 46, and Max Holstein, 41, did the
trick. Denis Makeham took 3-7 for Colts. Neville King scored 77 for Swamp, their
margin of victory over Riamukka. Round Swamp went to the top of the comp
with a low-scoring outright over Colts. Colts made 41 (Kev Hoy 5-10) and Swamp
replied with 96 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 6-42). Colts then made 84 (Nev King
7-27) and Swamp 1-30.
Riamukka had an easy outright over Walcha Road, Neville Holstein taking
4-22 and 6-22 for match figures of 10-44. He also scored 40 and 26 not out. Jim
Natty took a commendable 4-13 in Riamukka’s 7(dec)-158. In a drawn match
Lance Kermode scored 107 out of Ingleba’s 216 (R.A. Laurie 5-57) and Nowendoc
were 8-104 (Tony Hoy 5-15). Jim Boyd took 6-33 in skittling Commercial for 74,
but it was too many for Walcha Road, 66, thanks to Jack Hogbin’s 6-8, and Joe
Peacock’s 4-32).
Robert Blomfield continued on with his eye-catching form. In a match against
Nowendoc he took 5-52 as Herb Laurie, 69, and Max Holstein 35, helped their
score to 191. Blomfield then made 51 and Chris Tinning 54 not out with Colts 183
when play was stopped. On the same weekend Lance Kermode scored 137, his
fifth century of the season, and Aiden Wall 104 in Ingleba’s 4-297. Round Swamp
were hanging on for their lives at 6-57 when play stopped. Colts probably thought
225 (Chris Tinning 81) was enough against Riamukka, but Barry Holstein, 81, and
Neville Holstein 69 not out ensured it wasn’t in Riamukka’s 4-261.
Colts advanced to the semis by dismissing Ingleba for 56 (Lance Kermode
30; Rob Blomfield 6-25, Jim Laurie 4-29) and then scoring 125 (Dick MacarthurOnslow 36; Bob Bowden 4-47.)
Round Swamp defeated Colts by 80 runs on the first innings in one of the
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semi-finals for 1967-68. Round Swamp made 269, Neville King batting at no.8
was 68 not out, Alick Bird made 52 and Lloyd Ryan 39. Jim Laurie took 4-63
and Dick Macarthur-Onslow 3-66. Colts replied with 189, Chris Tinning 65 and
Robert Blomfield 45, setting in motion a career of outstanding performances in
big games. Nev King backed up his batting heroics with 6-74 off 22 overs, four of
them caught and bowled.
The other 1967-68 semi was one of the most exciting played out in Walcha.
Nowendoc ended up beating Riamukka by one run. Riamukka made 182 of which
Neville Holstein contributed 104 (Cedric Wright 4-87). Interestingly enough,
the match report in the Walcha News makes no mention of Neville’s century.
Nowendoc replied with 147, Max Holstein 86 not out, Neville Holstein 7-48.
Riamukka faltered and only scored 102 in their second dig, Cedric Wright 6-62,
leaving Nowendoc 138 for victory. The game went down to the last ball. Gilbert
Hicks was actually run out attempting a second to put the issue beyond doubt.
Maybe everyone was mindful of Colts’ declaration behind Road. Nowendoc
finished on 138 (Herb Laurie 32; Nev Holstein 4-67).
The Hoys and Lauries have been at each other for years. Still are. In the 196768 final they turned it on. Ken Hoy, 45 and Peter Osmond, 34, laid a good platform
for Round Swamp and Ray Hoy continued, hitting 64 not out in Swamp’s firstinnings 221. Young Nowendoc leg-spinner R.G. Laurie snared 5-97 and Lincoln
Wright 4-36. Nowendoc replied with 132, Cedric Wright 37, Billy Holstein 32,
Lincoln Wright 26 and George Lyon snr 20 doing well to hold out Kevin Hoy,
6-39 and Alick Bird, 4-66. Swamp went in again and tallied 112, Ken Hoy with a
watchful eye on young R.G., top-scoring with 38 in a good final double (Kev Hoy
24; Cedric Wright 5-62, Max Holstein 4-48). This left Nowendoc chasing 202 for
victory and the father-son combination of Herb and R.G. gritted the teeth, but to
no avail. Nowendoc were all out for 144, Truck 51 not out, Herb 46; Neville King
7-46 and Kev Hoy 2-39.
In inter-district cricket in 1967-68 Walcha Firsts had a win over Guyra, but the
Seconds lost. Guyra Firsts only made 58 after being sent in (Aiden Wall 4-24, R.A.
Laurie 3-27), but then Walcha struggled too, before getting home. It’s not clear who
scored what runs apart from Owen Sweeney’s 11 because the published scoreboard
doesn’t add up and bears no correlation to the match report. Walcha Second XI
made 113 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 32) and Guyra declared at 5-142 (Bob Bowden
3-32). In the return fixtures against Guyra, Walcha lost both matches. In the Firsts,
Guyra made 5-264 (Scanlon 105, David Lawrie 66) and Walcha totalled 203, Herb
Laurie top-scoring with 51 against Clancy Griffiths 4-49, who he captained in
Wheaton’s. The Seconds lost by 143, making just 79 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow
34) to Guyra’s 222, Bob Bowden taking 8-42. The Firsts had an easy win against
Inverell at The Park, but the Seconds were on the receiving end. Walcha Firsts
went for the outright, but ended up winning by 117 runs. Inverell made 125 (R.A.
Laurie 3-36, Nev King 3-19) and then Herb Laurie, 68, Lance Kermode, 56, and
skipper Neville Holstein, 38 not out, laid the platform for 6(dec)-242) made at the
rate of nearly two runs a minute. Neville King hit two big sixes in his 21 and Jim
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Laurie piloted one into the middle of the Apsley River. The Seconds were beaten
by 144 runs in Inverell. Walcha Firsts were hoping for an outright over Glen Innes
at The Park to take them ahead of New England. They declared at 6-231 (Nev
Holstein 74, Bill Holstein 48, Don Margery 31) and Glen were 3-24, 4-83, 5-84 and
9-197 still needing 35, but the tail wagged and the visitors won.
In the 1967-68 Walcha season Lance Kermode had scores of 103, 114 not out,
106, 107 and 137. He was found dead on May 3, 1968 aged 27 years. The Coroner’s
finding as to his death was open. The Walcha News of Thursday, May 9, 1968 had
the following report and I quote it directly:
‘‘One of Walcha’s best sportsmen, Lance Kermode (27), of Heathcote, Ingleba, died on
Friday morning from a bullet wound.
‘‘A doctor and ambulance went to Ingleba, but Kermode died before he could be
placed in the ambulance.
‘‘Police said a rifle was found in a room at the house, but there were no suspicious
circumstances.
‘‘Sergeant P.D. Brennan, of Walcha, is inquiring.
‘‘His funeral took place on Saturday afternoon.
‘‘It was the largest Walcha has ever witnessed.
‘‘The procession of cars extended from St Paul’s Church where the service was held
to the Presbyterian cemetery, a distance of about two miles.
‘‘Cricketers and footballers formed a guard of honour at the Church.
‘‘The Church was packed to such an extent that many people had to stand outside.
‘‘Mr Kermode was one of the best cricketers Walcha has produced.
‘‘His ability as a batsman gained him not only representation within the Walcha
District First XI team, but with the Northern Tablelands team at Country Week and
with the Country Firsts against the Metropolitan rep team.
‘‘In 1966, he toured the world with the Emu Cricket team.
‘‘On the football side, he was a first grade Rugby half, and played with the Walcha
team.
‘‘He was one of the best half-backs in the Zone, but a continual shoulder injury forced
him to retire from the sport.
‘‘In his Panegyric at the Church, the Minister of Walcha Presbyterian Charge (Rev
A.W. Law) said Lance Kermode was a young man of outstanding ability and a young
man whose conduct was of a very high standard.
‘‘ ‘He was possessed of an utterly unselfish spirit, giving out more than he ever
received,’ said Rev. Law.
‘‘ ‘He was the essence of sincerity and achieved outstanding success on the sporting
fields both as a Rugby Union player and as a cricketer.
‘‘ ‘His character was such that success never spoiled him.
‘‘ ‘He possessed qualities of leadership which justified the saying ‘he was a born
leader’.’
‘‘ ‘He could lead in such a way as to achieve the maximum of success without asserting
his own prowess and could lead in such a way as to inspire his team.
‘‘ ‘He played his sport for the love of it and not for material gain and personal
advantage.
‘‘ ‘Lance Kermode was the type we can ill-afford to lose and was spoken of as one of
the finest young men in the district, which will be the poorer for his passing.’
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‘‘Rev. Law then extended loving and sincere sympathy to those who remain.’’
Many of the enduring partnerships of Walcha cricket were over because the
man central to them was now gone. It’s extraordinary the amount of goodwill
he engendered. To a person, everyone who played with him wanted not only his
record, but his personality, portrayed correctly.
Lance Kermode’s death marked the beginning of the end of a golden era of
Walcha cricket. Two shots separated by the Torres Strait and 25 years reverberated
around the district. Who knows what these elegant batsmen would have achieved?
But it’s trivial to lament Clive Roper and Lance Kermode in terms of cricket only,
they were just great men.
Ingleba Cricket Club folded and in the 1968-69 season we notice the remnants
of the team spread throughout the comp. Gordon Jamieson and Denis Wall moved
to Commercial. Lance’s partners from his winter sport, rugby union, entered a
team and were in for a big surprise in the opening round of the Turton Cup. Neville
Holstein scored the first century of the season. It was 106 retired in Riamukka’s
237 (Don Margery 50, Tom Keating 36; Peter Bowden 4-50), just enough to beat
Colts who made 229 (Warwick Fletcher 82, Peter Bowden 36, Tony Bowden 32).
Round Swamp defeated Nowendoc in another first-round game. The newlyformed Rugby Union didn’t fare too well at the summer caper in their first-ever
match. Rugby Union were rolled for 32 and at different stages were 3-0, 4-1 and
6-5. Winter team-mate Aiden Wall took 5-10 for Commercial, who then knocked
up 205 (Gordon Jamieson 48, Owen Sweeney 33 retired).
Riamukka earnt the right to play in the Turton Cup final after a replayed
semi-final with Round Swamp. R.A. Laurie took 8-12 in skittling Swamp for 55
and then Neville Holstein had some more batting practice and was 76 not out in
Riamukka’s 126. So Riamukka made the Turton Cup final, but Owen Sweeney
scored a superb 103 retired in Commercial’s 7-258 (Viv Riley 40). They dismissed
Riamukka for 186, Don Margery remaining 86 not out. Colts won the Consolation
knock-out after dismissing Nowendoc for 175 (George Lyon snr 56, Bill Holstein
55; Dick Macarthur-Onslow 4-81) and then scoring 228 (Jim Laurie 49, Warwick
Fletcher 44).
Lindsay Eliott made a welcome return to sport and took 6-41 for Rugby Union
in a loss to Nowendoc (Max Holstein 53). Union’s best early performance came
against Walcha Road. Former great Colts and inter-district leggie Eric Stier took
4-43 in Road’s 151 (Mike Toshack 37) and Union passed that with one wicket
down, Charlie O’Neill 79 not out and Bob Burnett 57 not out the best. Apart from
Stier that Rugby Union side contained Sam Stephens and Dudley Towers.
Ken Hoy made 91 and Peter Osmond 59 in a big opening stand for Round
Swamp before Alick Bird took 5-44 to clean up Walcha Road. Barry Holstein
retired at 90 and Don Margery 67 and Nev Holstein 59 helped Riamukka to an
imposing 258 but Commercial’s final pair of R.(Bob?) Wall 0 not out and Archie
Natty 22 not out hung on for a draw and they finished at 9-87. There’s a fair bit of
sporting nous with Bob and Arch and too many stinging tackles made by the latter
on hard Group 5 rugby league grounds to be intimidated. Gordon Jamieson took
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6-41 in a low-scoring win for Commercial over Colts. Mike Toshack scored 89
not out in Road’s 145, but not enough to beat Nowendoc. Walcha Road used their
entire 11 players to dismiss Colts, but to no avail. Road scored 124 (Fred Henry
59; Rob Blomfield 6-44; Tony Bowden 3-7) and Warwick Fletcher 65 retired and
Blomfield 56 retired, saw Colts home. Rugby Union came back to earth against
Riamukka. Harvey Blinkhorn made 50 in their 155 but Don Margery 116 and
Neville Holstein 52 retired and Barry Holstein 41 retired helped ’Mukka to 6-275.
Rugby Union learnt a lesson the hard way after scoring 167 (Charlie O’Neill
59, Harvey Blinkhorn 58; Lincoln Wright 6-32). Nowendoc were 9-166 at stumps,
two runs short of victory while Union were the one wicket shy. Herb Laurie batted
for a long time to remain 67 not out (Harvey Blinkhorn 3-20, Eric Stier 3-46).
Ron Moffitt, now playing for Commercial unluckily missed a ton against Walcha
Road. He hit 94 including seven fours and four sixes, three of which were hit in
succession. Owen Sweeney made 42 and Commercial scored 218 and bundled
out Road for 137, Jimmy Natty batting well for 57 (Gordon Jamieson 5-42, Denis
Wall 3-14). Walcha Road used 10 bowlers against Round Swamp and Peter Boyd
bowled Doug Schrader on 97. Denis Chandler retired on 46, Ray Hoy on 38 and
Gordon Brooks made 31 in Swamp’s 283. Kev Hoy then took 5-43 in an easy
win. Colts and Nowendoc (despite the Walcha News again confusing them with
Riamukka) played a sensational draw. Max Holstein retired after belting 129
and Billy Holstein, 37, and George Lyon snr, 30, helped Nowendoc to 275. But
Robert Blomfield, the heir apparent to Max Holstein in Walcha cricket as a matchwinning opening bat and bowler, hit 122, and Dick Macarthur-Onslow 56 and
Colts were 8-254 at stumps (Max Holstein 5-43). Alick Bird clean bowled Lin
Eliott, last man in on 35, on the last ball of the day to secure an outright for Round
Swamp over Rugby Union. Denis Wall took 5-15 in a low-scoring Commercial
win over Round Swamp.
A hard day at the office for Rugby Union, with Barry Holstein hitting 93 and
Neville 79 in a 233 total (Sam Stephens 3-83, Charlie O’Neill 3-19) and then being
dismissed for 94 (Nev Holstein 4-21). Robert Blomfield, 60 out of 144 and 3-37
wasn’t enough for Colts against Commercial 9-160 and Mick Manny’s 4-47 and
Gordon Jamieson’s 45. Rugby Union were involved in some great games in their
first season and one with Riamukka was a beauty. The bowling was tighter than
a drum and both teams sensed an outright, but Riamukka ended victors on first
innings. Union scored 40 (Will Watson 7-24, R. A. Laurie 3-9) and Riamukka were
restricted to 62 thanks to Richard Roland’s 6-31 and Bill Macarthur-Onslow’s 3-17.
Union then made 69 (Barry Holstein 5-27, R.A. Laurie 3-8) and Riamukka were
9-46 in their second dig (Richard Roland 6-19) an outright tantalisingly close for
both. Gordon Jamieson seemed to contribute in every match he played and after
Aiden Wall, 7-35 and Mick Manny 3-24 dismissed Rugby Union for 91 (Harvey
Blinkhorn 38) Gordon hit nine fours and one six in a 101 not out, out of 1-172 (Ron
Moffitt 37, Stan Chandler 32). Jim Laurie took 4-16 and Bob Bowden 3-17 as Colts
dismissed Nowendoc for 81 (Herb Laurie 47) and then Robert Blomfield caressed
80 not out in Colts’ 6-212 (Tony Bowden 31).
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A few other interesting matches: Commercial 7(dec)- 214 (Ron Moffitt 65,
Owen Sweeney 37, Gordon Jamieson 32) defeated Walcha Road 49 (Mick Manny
6-31); Rugby Union 89 (Mike Toshack 6-34, Peter Boyd 4-33) defeated Walcha
Road 82 (Peter Boyd 33; Sam Stephens 4-22, Eric Stier 4-29); Nowendoc 209 (Bill
Holstein 118 not out; Will Watson 6-68) drew with Riamukka 4-155 (Nev Holstein
80 not out); and Nowendoc 254 (Max Holstein 123 retired, Herb Laurie 48 not
out; Mick Manny 4-60) defeated Commercial 79. Kev Hoy retired on 103 with 14
fours in Swamp’s massive 8(dec)- 301 (Doug Schrader 44, Ross Hoy 37) and then
Gordon Bird took 6-39 in Road’s 128.
Nowendoc looked like securing a place in the finals with an outright over
Walcha Road. The Road were rolled for 115 of which Peter Boyd made 58 (George
Lyon 3-23, Max Holstein 3-21, Lincoln Wright 3-18) and Nowendoc declared at
seven wickets down for 168 with, who else, Max Holstein making 83 (Peter Boyd
3-55). Walcha Road were all out in 11 overs for 26 second-time around (Lincoln
Wright 3-1, Rod Aynsley 3-2). Interesting thing about this is George Lyon and
Peter Boyd are now teammates in the over-60s.
How’s this for a tough semi? You reckon we don’t play it hard around here?
Riamukka 244 and 172 outrighted Nowendoc 125 and 90. In Riamukka’s first
innings Don Margery made 71, Neville Holstein 58 and Peter Laurie 36. Max
Holstein took 5-51. Bill Holstein, 45, and Max, 32 were Nowendoc’s best firsttime around, Will Watson taking 4-45. Margery backed it up with 36 as Herb
Laurie took 5-57 and then R.A. Laurie 3-13 and Tom Keating 4-7 went through
Nowendoc. Max Holstein’s five-for in the first innings was from 16 overs with a
wet ball on a slippery approach. A highlight was the number of sixes, 14 in all
including 10 from Riamukka in the first innings. Gilbert Hicks had the misfortune
of being hit in the mouth while fielding and had to be taken to the doc’s for stitches.
Billy Holstein was hit under the eye when batting, which caused it to swell and
close up.
Round Swamp came from behind to beat Commercial by five wickets in the
other semi, notable for the dropped catches from both sides. Commercial batted
first for 106 (Gordon Jamieson 33; Alick Bird 5-49, Gordon Brooks 4-43), but
Swamp could only manage 91 thanks to Mick Manny’s 6-43. Commercial scored
102 in their second (Owen Sweeney 45; Alick Bird 4-48, Gordon Brooks 3-19, Kev
Hoy 3-29), but Swamp finished in front on 5-135 (R. Hoy 32). Given Alick Bird was
playing before the War and searching for a game with Round Swamp in 1946, that’s
well over 30 years of cricket and still opening the bowling and winning matches.
Round Swamp defeated Riamukka for the major premiership in 1968-69.
Swampies batted first and made 156 (Doug Schrader 36, Kevin Hoy 32; R.A.
Laurie 6-31) and Riamukka replied with only 49 (Alick Bird 8-24). Swamp went
in again and totalled 186 (Ken Hoy 42, Doug Schrader 31; R. A. Laurie 4-58) and
Riamukka were all out for 179 in their second dig (Don Margery 88, Tom Keating
an entertaining 39; Alick Bird 4-80, Kev Hoy 3-58). The indefatigable Alick Bird
had match figures of 12-104 and dismissed Riamukka stars Neville and Barry
Holstein in both digs. Doug Schrader’s captaincy was shrewd throughout and he
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played skipper’s knocks in both innings. Riamukka may have been unlucky on the
Saturday when they were caught in fading light, but they did not appeal. In better
light on Sunday morning they did little better, all up losing five wickets for 13 runs
in two-and-a-half hours.
Max Holstein won the batting and Eric Stier the bowling for the 1968-69
season. Max had an aggregate of 840 runs from 15 innings with one not out
for an average of 60. In the 1967-68 season he had broken Laurie Little’s longstanding run aggregate of 778 by scoring more than 800 runs and showed what a
magnificent cricketer he was by following it up with 840 runs. His average of 118
in the 1954-55 season was still a record at this stage. Barry Holstein was next 544,
14, 4, 54.4 and then Neville Holstein 638, 15, 2, 49.76, Rob Blomfield 492, 12, 2,
49.2; Herb Laurie 471, 14, 4, 47.1; Don Margery 640, 17, 0, 37.64; Doug Schrader
486, 13, 0, 37.38; Kevin Hoy 523, 16, 1, 34.86; Bill Holstein 399, 14, 1, 30.61. I was
only going to include the averages over 30, but it’s worth noting in Rugby Union’s
first season Harvey Blinkhorn qualified and was next with 401 runs from 15 digs
and one not out at 28.65. Alick Bird was therefore the highest wicket-taker and
Ron Moffitt took the most catches with 17.
Eric Stier showed he’d lost nothing in his return, playing with Rugby Union.
Eric took 32 wickets for 334 runs at 10.43 followed by R.A. Laurie 38, 407, 10.72;
Jim Laurie 25, 275, 11; Alick Bird 52, 577, 11.09; Barry Holstein 44, 555, 12.13;
Mick Manny 41, 507, 12.36 and Denis Wall 22, 274, 12.45. Guest speaker at the
presentation night was John Gleeson, who had just featured in the Australia-West
Indies series and was well-known to Walcha cricketers, not the least Neville Holstein.
Three brothers as the top-three batsmen is incredible, as are their averages.
Barry’s four not outs probably helped him a bit, but he was in great touch. In a
sign of things to come, a young Robert Blomfield was fourth. Stier’s win in the
bowling average is a reminder of the spinning production line from the 1950s,
but again, in a sign of things to come Denis Wall was seventh with 22 wickets at
12.45. Experience certainly still counted though and other ’50s bowlers were still
performing. R.A. Laurie, Jim Laurie, Alick Bird with an amazing 52 wickets.
What a productive decade. Barry Holstein, (44 wickets) was the only player to
finish in the top 10 of both bowling and batting.
In inter-district cricket in 1968-69 Walcha’s season opened with a loss to New
England on The Park. Walcha made 150 (Robert Blomfield 37; Rennie Mullen still
going strong 3-34) and New England made 9-230 (Herb Laurie bowling Rennie
Mullen in the continuation of a cricket relationship of 20 years). Things went
pear-shaped for the Seconds against New England when they were outrighted at
TAS, the Hutchinson brothers doing the damage. New England made 270 (Peter
Hutchinson 77; Lincoln Wright 4-53) and then routed Walcha for 73 (Richard
Roland 32; Bill Hutchinson 8-33 including a hat-trick) and 73 (Peter Rigg 5-9, Bill
Hutchinson 4-23).
A chanceless 130 retired by skipper Neville Holstein ensured a win over Guyra
at Guyra who made a respectable 202. Herb Laurie and Don Margery opened up
and both scored ducks. Max Holstein contributed a solid 53 in the 6-255.
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The Second XI just missed outrighting Guyra at The Park after a heroic
performance by leg-spinner Barry Holstein. Lindsay Mulligan opened for Guyra
and remained 46 not out in their 107, Holstein taking 5-22. Walcha replied with 141
(Jack Davis 46). Guyra then made 72 with “Blue” picking up a remarkable 9-29.
Walcha were 2-28 second-time around an agonising 10 runs shy. The Seconds lost
a close one against Tenterfield who scored 243. The match marked Denis Wall’s
introduction to inter-district cricket and he bowled superbly for the best figures of
4-52 off nine overs on a batsman-friendly track. Bob Bowden took 4-74. Walcha
almost made it, but were all out five runs short on 238 with a very consistent batting
card led by Dick Macarthur-Onslow with 57, Ken Hoy 36, Peter Osmond 32 and
Chris Tinning 30.
The Firsts went down to Tenterfield at The Park after the visitors compiled
214. Walcha were 7-99 but Barry Holstein at no.8 and Nev King at no.9 put on 57
and then Holstein and R.A. Laurie added 41. Walcha were all out for 197, Barry
Holstein 61 not out. Walcha Firsts travelled to Glen Innes and closed at 8-203 with
Max Holstein scoring 48, but Glen batted well and passed that with four wickets
down in 180 minutes.
It’s a shame Richard Macarthur-Onslow or Dick Onslow isn’t alive to read
this book. Nobody enjoyed their cricket more and at one stage he even offered the
schoolboys in town the opportunity to go to his place for practice. I never found
out if he had turf nets or not. He never seemed to have a bad game for Colts or the
Seconds and I think he would have done anything to have been included in one of
the strong inter-district First XIs. The day the Firsts were losing to Glen in Glen,
the Seconds were winning on The Park. Dick scored 61 in Walcha’s 178, despite
four lives, and R.G. Laurie made a neat 32. Dick then took 3-37 in Glen’s 114.
New England won the Second XI Northern Tablelands premiership for the
third successive year after beating Walcha in Armidale. Batting first, New England
closed their innings at 8-343 There are some familiar names in the Armidale card,
R. Rose 87 not out, M. Fletcher 65 M. Watts 51, W. Miller 50. Jim Laurie took
3-103. Irwin Brazel batting at no.3 hit 10 fours in his 46 and Lloyd Ryan batted
well for 31 as did Denis Wall for 22. Walcha were all out for 175.
As a summer sport, cricket traverses the old year and the new. There’s no
neat cut off. The 1969-70 season was always going to hold some surprises given
the events both on and off the field in the previous few seasons. There were some
telltale signs in the Turton Cup season openers. Robert Blomfield hit 51 not out and
Irwin Brazel 33 in Colts’ 124 against Nowendoc (Lincoln Wright 6-37). Blomfield
then took 6-48 in Nowendoc’s 122 (Lincoln Wright 33). Blomfield and Brazel
went on to be consistent club performers and inter-district stalwarts, particularly
Blomfield. In many ways the 1970s belonged to him. Riamukka had a win over
Rugby Union but in a worrying sign, Walcha Road forfeited to Round Swamp.
In the season proper Colts almost outrighted Walcha Road in a Sunday match
at Woolbrook. Colts were sent in and declared at tea on 9-208 thanks to Peter
Bowden, 66, and Warwick Fletcher 55. Bowden’s 66 included 52 in boundaries,
six sixes and four fours. Jim Boyd made 37 not out in Road’s first-innings 59 and
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Colts only used two bowlers, Bob Bowden 6-24 and Tony Bowden 3-32. Road
were 6-34 second-time around. Commercial were either continuing the youth
policy or short of numbers. In any case they had a good win over Nowendoc after
scoring only 127. Old-stager Gordon Jamieson made 33, but son Douglas looked at
home in the middle order and he hit a valuable 19. Also in the Commercial line-up
were other schoolkids Daryl Bath, Noel Henry and Michael Gibson. G. Natty is
listed, so it’s either a misprint or a very young “Riley”. Bill Holstein made 60 in
Nowendoc’s 113 (Mick Manny 3-40, Doug Jamieson opening the bowling in front
of his father 2-30 and Gordon Jamieson 3-29).
Despite the Turton Cup forfeit, Walcha Road rallied and Mike Toshack hit the
first century of the season 110 including nine fours and two sixes out of 227 against
Commercial (H. Petersen 52; Sel Wegner 4-34, Aiden Wall 4-41). Commercial
were 7-84 when bad light stopped play. R.A. Laurie 4-23 and Neville Holstein
opening the bowling, 3-18, cleaned up Union for 107 before he had some batting
practice and retired on 68 in Riamukka’s 143. Colts and Nowendoc played another
classic draw with Nowendoc needing two runs to win and the game finishing in
almost total darkness. Rob Blomfield, 76, and Irwin Brazel, 45, put on 104 for the
first wicket and Colts compiled 152, Max Holstein taking 8-39 off 13 overs. Herb
Laurie, 47, and Lincoln Wright 52 held Nowendoc together and they were 8-151
as players walked around calling out to each other in the dark. Peter Bowden took
4-24.
Herb Laurie scored 55 and Rob Laurie 50 in Nowendoc’s 157 against Union
(G. Preston 8-35) and Preston backed up with 77 as Union finished on 4-129. An
undated letter in the WDCA files was sent from “Ria-mukka, Walcha” to the
Association secretary: “This is a formal protest about the playing of unregistered
player G. Preston by the Rugby Union Club in the match Rugby Union v Nowendoc
on the Walcha Park,
“[signed] Herb Laurie.
“Notice of Motion.
“That the minute of the season 1968-69 reading ‘Walcha cricket be played
exclusively under NSW cricket rules’ be erased from the minutes book and the
rules of the Rule Book of 1962 be adhered to – this minute be made retrospective
to the beginning of season 1969-70,
“[signed] Herb Laurie and Max Holstein.
“In the event of this minute being carried then further notice of motion: That
rule reading a new ball can only be used after 200 runs be altered to read after 65
overs and at the beginning of each innings.”
Herb was always on the ball. From the time the comp re-formed after the War
until Riamukka and then Nowendoc dropped out, they were always keen to have
their opinions heard on what rules should be used. It’s part of the territory of
playing it hard. In relation to the protest about G. Preston, his name doesn’t appear
in the recording secretary’s books of the time, so he was a ring-in. But it’s hard
to know what elicited the protest, perhaps its effect on averages. Interestingly
enough, G. Preston was playing inter-district cricket a few years on from this.
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Which brings to mind an anecdote that had played out years before.
“They were all hard. That old [umpire] down there. Alick Bird was bowling really
well and he got Herbie Laurie out lbw. They had a boy umpiring at one end who’d
given him and [umpire] was at the other and Herbie stood his ground and said ‘I hit
that ball’ and he wouldn’t walk. So [umpire] walks to the other end and has a yarn to
the young bloke and gives him not out. And Herbie batted on. He should have walked
that day. It’s the first time I saw Alick Bird vocal.”
That is a pretty big call for a square-leg umpire, but then again W.G. Grace put the
bails back on after being bowled one day, claiming people had come to watch him bat,
not his opponent bowl. No wonder Alick Bird caused so much grief for Herb’s son Rob
Laurie over the years.
Union had a tough arvo against Commercial too when the new young guns
strutted their stuff. The Rugby boys only made 75 (Eric Stier 31) thanks to Denis
Wall’s 5-25 and Doug Jamieson’s 3-6. Commercial declared at 2-80 (Jack Davis 38 not
out, Aiden Wall 33). A pointer of things to come and one of those wonderful examples
of continuity of Walcha cricket came in the Nowendoc’s first-innings win over
Commercial R.G. Laurie took 6-21 in Commercial’s 96 and then father Herb retired
on 63 in Nowendoc’s 139. Dudley Towers is back in town and playing for Rugby
Union, but aside from Eric Stier’s 32 they only managed 64 thanks to Peter Boyd’s
4-13 and H. (Hec?) Price’s 3-16. Road won by scoring 195, Mike Toshack 72 retired
and Towers 6-59. Gordon Brooks took 7-19 in Colts’ 45 and then B. Jamieson hit 60
in Round Swamp’s 139 (Jim Laurie 4-32, and ex-Ingleba’s Bob Bowden 3-39). Alick
Bird was into at least his 30th season and took a hat-trick against Rugby Union who
only managed 19. Alick only bowled two overs and took 3-1. Kevin Hoy took 3-9 and
there were six ducks in Union’s first innings. Swamp were 9-44 and only managed 80
(Richard Roland 6-36, Harvey Blinkhorn 4-27). Kevin Hoy put the cleaners through
Rugby in the second dig with 6-17 but Union staved off an outright and were 9-44,
four ducks this time.
Walcha Road had an easy win over Commercial at the Common in the Aiden
Wall Competition. The highlight was Jim Boyd’s 111 of which 72 came in boundaries.
Boyd and Mike Toshack, 70, put on 105 for the seventh wicket. Commercial had batted
first and made 108, Jack Hogbin top-scoring with 44, but what’s more interesting is
the make-up of the Commercial side. Brian Croker’s name had appeared in a couple
of Commercial scoreboards in the previous season and then he started filling in for
Colts. In this Commercial side we have more of the players from the same junior
team including Doug Jamieson, who was 24 not out, Andrew Cross, Garth Clare and
Graham Jamieson. Given that Denis Wall is only a few years older, gee that’s a young
team, but with talent to burn. Douglas Jamieson had been following his father around
cricket grounds for years, including when Gordon played for Ingleba and they were
picked up and taken to games by Dick Wayte in his old Austin. It was a tough initiation
in this match for the youngsters. Walcha Road had been on the receiving end of some
almighty hammerings and it was payback time and it didn’t matter who it was against.
Fred Henry, 40, and Mike Hawkins, 49, opened and then Jim Boyd and Toshack did
their thing in the middle order and Road knocked up 334.
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W
alcha Road started the new decade meaning business. Opener Mike
Hawkins scored 89 and Mike Toshack 73 in their 265 against Round
Swamp. They’d forfeited the corresponding game 12 months beforehand but here
they were cleaning them up for 171 (Mike Toshack opening the bowling 3-42, L.
Petersen 3-21, Mike Hawkins 3-8). Youth was to the fore with Colts in their big
score of 226 against Rugby Union, who had been cleaned up for 52 (Jim Laurie
5-9, Bob Bowden 4-18). Peter Makeham must have been filthy on himself for not
starting the season with a ton when he was out for 95. Jim Laurie made 46, Perd
Croker 38 and Irwin Brazel 37. Andrew Cross batted at no.11 for Union and he
and Croker would’ve played in the under-16s together on the Saturday morning.
But Rugby Union were at it again with G. Preston. I wonder if they deliberately
brought him in to goad the red-soil boys. In the previous season he took 8-35
against Nowendoc and backed up with 77. Here he is the following season taking
8-29 off 17 overs and rolling Nowendoc for 112 (Neville Holstein 36). Despite Jeff
Makeham’s 45 Union finished just short on 109. Another new name for the season
and the decade was Wayne Tolmie, playing for Commercial, who had a good win
over Riamukka, Sel Wegner the top-scorer in the match with 71.
Ken Hoy had a long and great career and he was still going strong. He scored
61 in Swamp’s 147 (R. A. Laurie 4-34, Neville Holstein opening the bowling still
4-58), but Riamukka replied with 162 (Nev Holstein 55, Tom Wayte 43). Herb (58)
and Truck (50) were at it again in a win over Walcha Road who only scored 46
thanks to John Wayte taking 5-4 off five overs and Rod Aynsley’s 4-10. Round
Swamp were the pace-setters for most of the season and they thrashed Commercial
253 to 64. Lloyd Ryan, 45, Denis Chandler, 45, and Phillip Chandler, 43 all scored
runs and then Kevvie Hoy did his thing taking 5-26 off nine overs. Tony Bowden
took 5-2 off two overs for Colts in an easy win over Rugby Union.
In the 1969-70 semi-finals, minor premiers Round Swamp defeated Colts at
The Park and Nowendoc defeated Riamukka at Nowendoc. Riamukka batted
first and made a handy 217, Don Margery unluckily missing his century with 97,
while Tom Keating scored 59. George Lyon jnr nabbed 3-37 and Herb Laurie made
a return to the bowling crease and picked up 4-13. Nowendoc replied with 265
thanks to a classic Billy Holstein 120 and a belligerent 70 from Max Holstein.
R. A. Laurie bowled his heart out as usual and picked up 8-90. Riamukka batted
again and scored 172 (Don Holstein 63, Peter Laurie 47; Max Holstein 5-58) and
Nowendoc batted to stumps for a first-innings win. Max Holstein always joked
about not liking bowling to left-handers that much, except brother Neville. “All I
have to do is hit him on the pads and appeal and he’s out,” he reckoned. I’d love
to know who was umpiring in this semi because in Riamukka’s first innings N.
Holstein is lbw M. Holstein for 0 and in the second N. Holstein is lbw M. Holstein
16. They play it hard at Nowendoc.
Things didn’t look too good for Round Swamp when they were 8-105, but
Paddles Chandler (41) and Paul Hoy (34) helped the score to 184. Jim Laurie took
6-45. Colts only managed 125 (Jim Laurie 37; Kev Hoy 6-46). Swamp then made
178 (Ken Hoy 38; Dick Macarthur-Onslow 3-34) and Colts were no chance and
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batted to 3-54 by stumps. Round Swamp went on to win the News Cup for the third
successive year, beating Nowendoc by 37 runs in another classic final. Swamp
made 135 only thanks to no.10 Gordy Bird’s 30 and no.11 David Thomson’s 19.
Max Holstein took 5-26. Nowendoc only managed 120, Max Holstein’s 44 the top
score of the match (Gordon Brooks 3-32, Alick Bird 4-25, not a bad man to have
in a final). Swamp made 107 in their second innings (Alick Bird 35; Max Holstein
4-38, R.G. Laurie 4-45) and then cleaned up Nowendoc for 85 (Gordon Brooks
4-20, Kev Hoy 5-36).
Riamukka players Neville Holstein, batting, and R.A. Laurie, bowling, took
out the 1969-70 averages. Batsmen had to play in at least two-thirds of matches,
while 20 bowlers qualified by taking 15 wickets in the main competition. Nev
Holstein’s batting average was 35.20 from 10 complete innings and R.A. Laurie
took 51 wickets at a cost of 4.90 runs apiece.
Some interesting things come out the averages report. Alick Bird was second
in the bowling averages, quite remarkable when you consider he started 35 years
before these averages. Round Swamp had three bowlers in the top four of the
averages behind R.A. Laurie – Bird, Gordon Brooks and Kevin Hoy and Hoy
equalled Laurie with 51 wickets in the aggregate. No surprise that Round Swamp
won the Walcha News Cup that year because Ken Hoy was third in the batting
averages as well. In the batting, Neville Holstein only just shaded Herb Laurie,
314 runs at 34.88, who was playing for Nowendoc, not Riamukka. The young
players are starting to emerge, Rob Blomfield (fourth) and Irwin Brazel (fifth) in the
batting and Peter Bowden (sixth) and Douglas Jamieson (seventh) in the bowling
averages. The Turton Cup was not completed and Walcha Road won the Aiden
Wall Competition.
No wonder there was an A.J. Ferris trophy. Woolbrook’s Aub Hargreaves
reckons Alby used to record all his scores on his bat.
In inter-district cricket in 1969-70 Walcha Firsts bundled out Guyra for 110 on
The Park (Jim Laurie 4-21) and replied 141. Walcha were 7-44, but Barry Holstein
batting at no.9 scored 56, Jim Laurie at no.10 scored 21 and R.G. Laurie at no.11
was 11 not out. Grit those teeth Truck. The Seconds had an easier win over Guyra
in Guyra, tallying 7(dec)-245 thanks to a splendid 90 from Kevin Hoy, Dick
Macarthur-Onslow’s 62 and Aiden Wall’s 46. Kev then took 3-17 and Lincoln
Wright 4-27 in dismissing Guyra for 130. The Firsts went on to beat New England
in Armidale. The hosts batted first and Jim and R.A. Laurie had them 4-21 and
they never recovered, finishing with 117 (Jim Laurie 4-29, R.A. Laurie 5-32).
Walcha were given a good start by Herb Laurie and Bill Holstein (34) who put on
59 and eventually passed New England’s total with seven wickets down and went
on to score 185 (Nev Holstein 47).
Some things of interest. Neville was bowled by D. Lawrie and I’m wondering
if that’s their old Wheaton’s mate from Guyra, Rennie Mullen is still playing and
R.G. Laurie was bowled by G. Wood, possibly Geoff, who Truck would later rate as
one of the better performers in inter-district cricket. Armidale’s Bill Hutchinson,
who had terrorised the Seconds in the previous year, was no match for the “big
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boys” and finished with 1-37, but his wicket was his former TAS teammate Rob
Blomfield.
The Seconds had a great outright over Tenterfield at The Park despite a
disastrous start when they were 6-56. Youngsters Denis Wall 37 and Peter Bowden
47 received help from the experienced Lloyd Ryan, 22, and Aiden Wall, 22, to post
a competitive 187. Kevin Hoy put his stamp on proceedings with the ball, taking
6-19 and with Mick Manny’s 3-9 Tenterfield were all out for 30 in 17 overs. They
managed 143 second-time around, Kevvie again the nemesis taking 4-43. The
Firsts beat Tenterfield too, Herb Laurie, 75, and Don Margery, 31, opened up well
and then Max Holstein came in and clubbed 45 and Walcha made 227. It was tight
for while as Tenterfield went past 170. Jim Laurie took 3-25 and Lincoln Wright
3-40, but Neville Holstein bought himself on at the end and picked up 2-6 and
Tenterfield were all out for 199. Walcha Firsts and Seconds had easy wins over
Inverell. In the Firsts, played at Inverell, Rob Blomfield remained 41 not out and
combined with Neville Holstein, 34, in the middle order to help Walcha to 144. I
would have loved to have seen that partnership with the two elegant left-handers
in full flight. Blomfield then took 4-6 as Inverell staggered to 81. In the Seconds,
at The Park, Walcha hit up 194 (Chris Tinning 36, Denis Wall 27) and Aiden Wall,
5-38 and Kev Hoy, 3-10, did the rest and Inverell Seconds were all out for 102. The
Firsts ended up Northern Tablelands minor premiers after beating Glen Innes at
The Park. Jim Laurie took 5-20 as Glen limped to 88 and then Billy Holstein 29,
Neville Holstein 21 and Warwick Fletcher 23 not out enabled a Walcha win.
Both Walcha inter-district sides made it to the Council finals, the Firsts after
a semi-final against New England at The Park and the Seconds after playing Glen
Innes. The Firsts won by 57 runs after dismissing New England for 81 (R.A.
Laurie 3-26, Lincoln Wright 3-4). Herb Laurie was steady at the top and scored
33, and Walcha were 60 when he was out, but they were soon in a little bother at
6-67. R. G. Laurie came to the rescue and hit 25 and Jim Laurie 24 (this was a
good combination) and Walcha were there comfortably. Walcha Seconds knocked
up 280 thanks to Aiden Wall’s 70 not out, Peter Osmond’s 46, Kevin Hoy’s 41,
Paddles Chandler’s 32, Denis Wall’s 25 and Irwin Brazel’s 24. Aiden Wall then
turned around and took 5-40 and Kev Hoy 3-41 in Glen’s 142. They’re two wellcredentialled cricketers to have in a Second XI and it’s remarkable to think how
strong the Walcha’s inter-district sides were from the early 1950s right through
to 1970. Unfortunately the Seconds were beaten outright in the final by New
England. L. Foster took 8-23 for Armidale, six clean bowled and Walcha only
managed 74 (Ken Hoy 33). New England then knocked up 153 (Foster 43; Aiden
Wall 3-47, Kev Hoy 4-59). Despite Irwin Brazel’s second-innings 63 Walcha only
managed 146 and New England, 2-68, completed the outright.
Walcha Firsts won the Northern Tablelands Council final by beating Inverell in
the highlands in a thriller. Inverell batted first and posted 180 (N. McCosker 45, R.
Cameron 30) with the bowling honours shared; Jim Laurie 2-40, Gordon Brooks
1-19, Max Holstein 1-22, Rob Blomfield 2-29, Lincoln Wright 2-48 and R.G. Laurie
1-9. Walcha were 6-81 when Herb Laurie was dropped in his 40s. Any truth in the
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rumour that Steve Waugh’s famous line to Herschelle Gibbs in 1999, “you’ve just
dropped the World Cup” was actually a paraphrase of what Herb said to the Inverell
boys? Herb ended up scoring 80, but the drama would continue. Son Rob came in
at no.8 and batted it out, ending on 23 not out and with help from no.9 Jim Laurie,
16, and no.10 Gordon Brooks, 18. When last man Lincoln Wright came to the crease
Walcha needed two runs. Lincoln survived a torrid over from Inverell quick R.
Coster (5-44) and then Truck cut a boundary through slips. What a way to end a
turbulent decade of town and inter-district cricket? But there was more to come.
As Tablelands champs Walcha had the honour of competing for the War
Veterans’ Cup. Walcha played Tamworth Colts in the final at Tamworth, with R.A.
Laurie 5-41 and Jim Laurie 5-56 skittling the home side for 104. The Colts were
6-28 and 7-46 during the game before making a mini recovery. Walcha were in
trouble early at 3-18 before opener Herb Laurie was joined by Walcha’s “little
master” Neville Holstein and they put on a fourth-wicket partnership of 80, which
virtually assured the visitors of victory. Herb and the middle-order maestro Nev
had been, there done that, and they took the score to 98 before Herb was bowled
by Ro Shelton for 46. Nev nursed the tail through to victory and ended up with
58. Warwick Fletcher batted at 2nd drop, Irwin Brazel batted at no.7, R.G. Laurie
at no.8. and Denis Wall was 12th man. Tamworth Colts comprised some of the
big names of bush cricket including Roger Newell, Tony Cannon, Tim Wooster,
who Denis Wall famously put out of the ground on the last ball of the day at
the J.S. White Colts Carnival, Ro Shelton, the Falkenmire brothers and Harvey
Goodman. But R.A. Laurie and Jim Laurie could mix it with the best and they
turned on a hostile performance. Soon Tamworth Colts were 6-28 and 7-46. David
Falkenmire, 31 not out, and A. Heppel, 26, were the only bats Tamworth to reach
double figures. Don Margery’s stumping of Ro Shelton down the legside off R.A.
Laurie at the speed he was bowling is still considered probably the best seen at
No.1 Oval. Rob Blomfield missed the match, but he joined Warwick, Irwin, R.G.
and Denis as not only the leading lights in Walcha cricket, but the mainstays of
sport for the next decade. The winning team was Herb Laurie, Don Margery, Billy
Holstein, Warwick Fletcher, Neville Holstein, Max Holstein, Irwin Brazel, R. G.
Laurie, Jim Laurie, R. A. Laurie and Lincoln Wright and Denis Wall (12).
Neville Holstein’s scrapbook contains a handwritten page with the three War
Veterans’ Cup teams with other associated names. It’s possibly a list of the players
who helped the inter-district Firsts sides through their Northern Tablelands
campaigns, but there’s no Alick Bird, for instance, among other prominent players
not mentioned. Anyway, the names are Hector Hoy, Bill Cole, Ron Green, Gordon
Jamieson, Gordon Brooks, Tony Chapman, Milton Battaglini, John Gillard, R.
Saxby, W. Wayte, Aiden Wall, H. McInerney, Bill Russell, Denis Hatch, Chris
Tinning and Nev King.
To round out the decade both Walcha district sides had made the council
finals and the Firsts were once again the best in the north and north-west. It’s true
that youth had been injected and those players indoctrinated with the ways of
winning Walcha cricket, but in reality the success owed more to the 1950s. Herb,
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Neville, R.A and Max learnt their winning ways in that decade in a Walcha comp
brimming with players and good, experienced players at that. Similarly Jim Laurie
cut his teeth in Sydney grade, not a bad learning ground. The Walcha comp of
the late ’60s was not of that standard and some teams were increasingly short of
players and relying on schoolkids. In the spirit of experience Walcha took Max
and Neville Holstein, Herb and Rob Laurie, Lincoln Wright, George Lyon jnr,
Gilbert Hicks, Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall, Tony Bowden, Eric Stier and D. Lawrie
to the three-day Easter Carnival at Moree. They won two games and lost one.
R.G. Laurie was awarded the trophy for best under-19 all-rounder at the carnival.
Walcha hit up a respectable 297 (D. Lawrie 56 and there are two M. Holsteins in
the Walcha News report so either Max scored 51 and Neville 41 or vice-versa, R.G.
Laurie 51 not out and Irwin Brazel 31) against Garah-Mungindi 89 (Eric Stier 3-7,
Denis Wall 2-21, R.G. Laurie 2-21). Things changed a bit for the second game
when they played Narrabri on a lively pitch and were all out for 17. It must have
dried out, because Narrabri replied with 7-154. Walcha declared at 9-237 (Herb
Laurie 72) and dismissed Pallamallawa for 190 (R. G. Laurie 5-39).
Nowendoc also played Attunga and Neville Holstein hit a dazzling 185 retired
in a tally of 304. It wasn’t enough, Ro Shelton, famously stumped by Don Margery
in the War Veterans’ Cup, scored 125 and Attunga reached 5-318.
An interesting clipping in Neville Holstein’s scrapbook from this period is
the Walcha under-12s No.1 averages for 1969-70. The team played 16 matches,
winning one outright, 11 on first innings and lost only four on first innings. Stephen
Goodwin bowled 73 overs for 156 runs and 61 wickets at 2.55, Jock Laurie bowled
52 overs for 143 runs and 29 wickets at 4.93 and Goodwin’s cousin Gary Natty
bowled 70 overs for 216 runs and 30 wickets at 7.20. Gary batted 17 times with
four not outs to score 285 at 21.92, his top score a 50 not out. Not bad figures for
kids. Combine those blokes with the older under-16s filtering into the town comp
and the “youngsters” already playing, and the future looks bright.
But was it? In the inter-district Firsts match against Guyra at The Park
mentioned above, played on the first Sunday in November, 1969, Walcha’s victory
was in no small part to leg-spinning all-rounder Barry Holstein. He’d taken 3-30
and then with Walcha in a bit of strife he belted 56 to right the ship. After a beer at
the Bowling Club, Barry, 23, set off with fiancée Rosalie Gardiner, also 23, for a
pre-wedding party in Tamworth. They were killed after the car in which they were
travelling collided with Congi Bridge, 21 miles west of Walcha, about 5.50pm. To
talk of the loss of Barry in terms of cricket trivialises the loss of his fiancée Rosalie,
and his legacy as a person. The Wanderer in 1866 referred to the “elite, youth and
beauty” of the district. Some of them were taken just over a hundred years later.
C
olts won the 1970-71 Turton Cup in a tough final with Commercial. Warwick
Fletcher remained 52 not out in Colts’ 143, with Selwyn Wegner taking 7-28
and then hitting 47 in Commercial’s 92. Bob Bowden took 7-34. Riamukka were
in good early form retiring four players in their 8(dec)-308 against Round Swamp
in the Consolation final. Max Holstein scored 89 Neville retired on 72, R.A. Laurie
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on 50 and Tom Keating on 29. Ken Hoy scored 64 but his future son-in-law R.G.
Laurie picked up 6-44 and Swamp were all out for 167.
Herb Laurie was playing for Commercial and he retired on 43 after they’d
passed Round Swamp’s 68 (Denis Wall 6-19). Schoolboy Brian Malone’s 7-53 for
Rugby Union was not enough to stave off defeat by Walcha Road.
Max Holstein made 61 and Bill Holstein 36 in Nowendoc’s 194 against
Commercial at The Park. But Wayne Tolmie showed his ability and he returned
the great figures of 5-19. He was then the only Commercial batsman to reach
double figures, scoring 26 out of Commercial’s 40. R.A. Laurie’s bowling form
was amazing and he picked up 6-14. The second-top score for Commercial was
Rody Manning with five and there were five ducks. Form was hot and cold. Bill
Holstein scored 58 out of Nowendoc’s 122, but the top seven in a very solid Colts
line-up only managed 22 between them before Peter Bowden, 16 and Perd Croker,
16, added some respectability. But then Colts turned around and routed Walcha
Road for 57 and rattled up 7-294 with three retired. The innings featured the first
ton of the year, Robert Blomfield retiring on 100 after hitting 11 fours and three
sixes. Others to cash in were David Boyd 51 retired, Graham Croker 50 retired and
Perd Croker 19 not out.
But the highlight of that particular round was R.A. Laurie’s bowling for
Nowendoc. He took 10 wickets for an unbelievable 11 runs. His analysis read
6.1 overs, four maidens, 10 for 11. The previous week he’d taken 6-14 against
Commercial, meaning his figures for the season to that point were 16 wickets for
25 runs. The only other player to take 10 in an innings in Walcha was Jim Fletcher
in the 1947 final when he had match figures of 19-60 (9-27 in the first innings and
10-33 in the second, in the same match in which Laurie Little scored 160). Despite
R.A.’s rare feat of a 10-for against Round Swamp, Paddles Chandler still hit 60 not
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out (his first and last scoring shots were sixes and he collected 48 in boundaries)
and Swamp made 82. As if to show up all the younger bowlers of the district,
and lost in the reporting of this match, Alick Bird took 7-51 in Nowendoc’s 141.
Rugby Union captain Jeff Makeham ensured an exciting finish in a match with
Colts through his sporting declaration. With Brian Malone making 61 not out, Jeff
58 and Andy Laurie 39, he closed at 6-203 leaving Colts a run-a-minute chase.
Jeff was putting the pressure on his younger brothers in the opposition Colts lineup, but they were up to the task. Colts finished on 8-206 (Warwick Fletcher 65,
Peter Makeham 52 and Denis Makeham 41 not out). The ageless Gordon Jamieson
took 6-15 in a win over Walcha Road. Kevin Hoy scored 46 and took 6-28 in a
Round Swamp 107 (Warwick Fletcher 4-27, Dick Macarthur-Onslow 5-56) win
over Colts 63.
Neville Holstein scored 135 not out including 22 fours and two sixes against
Commercial and Max stroked 63 in Nowendoc’s 9(dec)-298. Wayne Tolmie again
impressed with 3-36 and Commercial hung on for a draw at 8-188 (Sel Wegner 46,
Jack Davis 33, Bob Bowden 29 and Tolmie 27 not out in a good double and staving
off defeat). Gordon Brooks hit five sixes in his 38 and Alick Bird was 44 not out
for Swamp in a win over Walcha Road for whom K. Petersen took 6-28. Peter
Bowden scored 70 and took 3-19 in Colts’ win over Rugby Union. Rob Blomfield
scored 121 including eight fours and two sixes and Warwick Fletcher 56 in Colts’
8(dec)-235 Jimmy Natty, who bowled Blomfield, returning 2-7. Blomfield then
took 5-26 in Road’s 8-129 (Ray Boyd 34, Mike Hawkins 31).
R.A.Laurie’s red-hot form continued and he took 8-35 off nine overs,
clean-bowling seven of his victims in dismissing Round Swamp for 104. Don
Margery’s 57 saw Nowendoc to victory. Brother Herb was scoring consistently
for Commercial and he hit 102 out of 175 against Colts at The Park. Denis Wall
then took 6-11 and Sel Wegner 3-34 and Colts were all out for 74. Neville Holstein
retired on 116 and Billy Holstein hit 59 and they put on 154 for the second wicket
in Nowendoc’s 232 against Walcha Road. Nowendoc went to the top of the comp
as result of the win and Nev’s innings included 78 in boundaries from seven sixes
and nine fours. G. Smoother actually returned 5-23 for Road but they only made
74 (Lincoln Wright 4-8, Nev Holstein 4-27).
In what was a pointer to the future Walcha Central School’s First XI won the
Northern Daily Leader Shield by defeating Manilla by 69 runs at The Park. Peter
Natty’s name hadn’t appeared in any senior cricket scoreboards, but he was having
great success in junior cricket and he was the star in this match. The interesting
thing about the Walcha side is that the bulk are from third and fourth forms.
The only senior-school players in the side are Geoff Cotterill, Brian Malone and
Michael Gibson. Peter Natty was probably the youngest player, but he batted first
drop after Garth Clare and Perd Croker and top-scored with 65 in Walcha’s 134.
Walcha’s attack opened with Brian Malone and Doug Jamieson, by now seasoned
campaigners at senior level, and Jamieson’s experience showed in his 4-9 and
Manilla were all out for 65.
Bowlers were to the fore regularly. Sel Wegner took 5-12 against Round
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Swamp; Mike Hawkins 8-15 for Road in a two-run win over Union whose Brian
Malone took 5-28; Malone also took 6-27 in a loss to Commercial for whom Denis
Wall took 4-14; Bob Bowden 5-35 for Colts in a loss to Nowendoc; Denis Wall
8-48 against Road and Mike Hawkins 6-37 in the same game. Irwin Brazel took
6-39 in Swamp’s 125 (Ken Hoy 64) and then backed it up with 48 not out as Kev
Hoy’s 4-38 including a hat-trick was not enough.
Sel Wegner hit 11 fours and one six in his 105 for Commercial after Colts had
been dismissed for 91 (Gordon Jamieson 4-16). Peter Makeham hit 62 including
three sixes and five fours in a Colts win over Walcha Road. Nowendoc were
cursing the weather and Bill Holstein a few other things against Round Swamp.
Billy was run out on 98 and Neville Holstein was undefeated on 65 in their 4-233,
but rain washed out play.
Rugby Union had their first win of the season, but thanks to two wellcredentialled players. Sent in to bat they only made 83. Top score was 14 by Chris
Greene who some may remember as the rugby centre from Ireland. Sam Stephens
4-27 and Eric Stier 6-28 used every trick in the book to dismiss Walcha Road for 78.
The new point-scoring issue arose after Commercial outrighted Walcha Road.
The Road made 70 and 50 to Commercial’s 49 and 85. Under the new system
Walcha Road kept six points for a first-innings win and Commercial received 10
for an outright. Gordon Jamieson took a hat-trick in his second-innings 6-26 while
Denis Wall took 8-29 in the first and 4-23 in the second. Peter Boyd took 4-8.
Experience is priceless, top-scorer for the match was Herb Laurie with 39 not out.
In the Aiden Wall Trophy comp R.A. Laurie took 6-6 in 24 balls including a
hat-trick against Commercial. Neville and Dick Holstein scored 79 in Nowendoc’s
204 (R.A. Laurie 44 retired, Billy Laurie 31 not out; Jack Wayte 3-12). R.A. did
his damage as Commercial made 120 (Gordon Jamieson 39, Denis Wall 37 not out).
Round Swamp made their fourth consecutive final after another cliff-hanger
of a semi. Commercial batted first and made a creditable 219, Denis Wall topscoring with 44, but valuable contributions came from Gordon Jamieson, 34, Dick
Bowden 34, Stan McMaster 37, Doug Jamieson 26 and Wayne Tolmie 21. Best
of the Swamp bowlers was Gordon Brooks with 3-49 and they replied with 135
of which Kev Hoy basically played a lone hand with 55 not out. Denis Wall was
having a blinder and he took 8-51. Commercial collapsed in their second innings
for 55, Gordon Brooks taking 6-20. This left Swamp to get 140 to win in under
even time and they opened with the long-handle merchants Paddles Chandler (32)
and Gordon Brooks, who hit 41 in 10 minutes. Their opening stand included six
sixes and six fours for 60 in boundaries. Commercial fought back and had Swamp
at 7-96 before a partnership of 49 between Paul Hoy (29) and Peter Osmond (18 not
out) ensured another final appearance for Swamp.
Their opponents were Colts who were forced to play a one-innings match in
their semi-final against Nowendoc at the Common because of a heavy field and
rain interruptions on the Saturday. Colts sent Nowendoc in and Jim Laurie sent
down 28 overs unchanged. Neville Holstein was all watchful style in his 46 and
Bill Holstein offered support with 27 in Nowendoc’s 136. Jim Laurie took 4-60
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and Dick Macarthur-Onslow 4-37. Colts were in a bit of strife at 3-11 at lunch
on Sunday before the Makeham brothers joined forces in a fighting partnership
of 81, took Colts to 5-96. Denis, 54, was the top-scorer in the match. Peter made
29. Jim Laurie 34 and Graham Croker (16) then put on 55 and carried Colts past
Nowendoc. Dick Macarthur-Onslow scored 25 and Colts ended up with 186.
Nowendoc used 11 bowlers, Nev Holstein the best with 3-32.
Was this the match R.A. Laurie tried to burn them out by setting fire to a ring
of mowed grass?
In 1970-71 Colts finished fourth on the ladder and then eliminated minor
premiers Nowendoc in the first knock-out semi final. Third-placed Round Swamp
disposed of second-placed Commercial in the other semi.
Colts defeated the defending premiers Round Swamp in convincing style at
The Park to win the News Cup. The ground was in perfect condition and big
scores were expected, but Colts bundled out Swamp for 104 thanks to Jim Laurie’s
7-53. Colts replied with 168 (Denis Makeham 37, Warwick Fletcher 31, Jim Laurie
26, Peter Makeham 25; Gordon Bird 6-53). Swamp were then dismissed for 127
(Phillip Chandler 30, Ken Hoy 28; Bob Bowden 6-36) and Irwin Brazel 43 not out
and Warwick Fletcher 38 not out sealed it for Colts.
Nowendoc players won both the averages for the 1970-71 season from
Commercial players. Max Holstein won the batting average with 35.99 from Herb
Laurie 35.6 while R.A. Laurie won the bowling with 4.77 from Denis Wall 6.97.
Only 17 bowlers qualified (15 or more wickets) and 30 batsmen (two-thirds of
matches). Max had 11 innings for 386 runs with no not outs while Herb had 13 for
356 and three not outs. Max also won the aggregate. R.A. Laurie took 41 wickets,
also the aggregate, for 193 runs, while Denis took 37 for 258 runs. Ray Boyd took
the most catches.
In inter-district cricket in 1970-71, Walcha Firsts travelled to Guyra and the
reigning champs handed the locals their first Tablelands Council win in five years.
They only made 8-142 (R.G. Laurie 4-41) Interesting to see Denis Wall opening
the bowling for Walcha in a change from his offies. Also Sel Wegner received a
call-up after many good performances with Commercial. Walcha openers Don
Margery, 24 and Max Holstein, 25, looked like they’d done enough to put Walcha
on the road to victory, but they only managed 129 (Nev Holstein 32). Walcha
Second XI captain Dick Macarthur-Onslow bowled beautifully at The Park in the
win over Guyra. He always said when the wind comes down that tunnel between
the ambulance station and the Royal Hotel the batsmen are only there as long
as you want them to be. Walcha were sent in to bat on a damp wicket and only
made 84 (B. Jamieson 19). But Onslow took 8-27 and Guyra were out for 50. Both
the Firsts and Seconds drew their matches with New England. A feature of the
Firsts’ match at The Park was a composed 99 not out by Billy Holstein in Walcha’s
5-192 in reply to New England’s 228 (Sel Wegner 4-68). In the Seconds fixture at
Armidale, New England made 213, Denis Wall taking four wickets, and Walcha
hung on for a draw and were 9-149, Peter Makeham 32 not out.
The Firsts had an easy win over Glen Innes, 61, at Glen Innes thanks to Jim
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Laurie’s 6-21 and G. Preston, playing legally, 4-20. Walcha replied with 113,
Warwick Fletcher 39 not out. The Seconds lost to Glen at The Park. Walcha had
them 8-109 at lunch but a 51-run eighth-wicket partnership took them to 165 (Dick
Macarthur-Onslow 3-22, D. Bowden 3-15). Walcha only made 47, Guyra’s B.
Picker taking 5-8.
In a rather strange day of inter-district cricket in Walcha and Inverell, only two
Walcha players in the Firsts at The Park and two Walcha players in the Seconds in
Inverell managed to get into double figures. The Firsts had a one-run victory over
Inverell at The Park. Walcha only made 59 and only two bats, Herb Laurie with
16 and Warwick Fletcher with 12, reached double figures. But G. Preston (7-21)
bowled magnificently with R.A. Laurie 3-31. The Seconds were trounced by 200
runs at Inverell who closed at 4-254. Walcha made 50, Davey Fletcher 10 and Peter
Makeham 10.
Walcha Seconds made another trip to Inverell for the semis and a transport
arrangement mix-up meant they only had 10 men, further compounded by
wicketkeeper Peter Makeham suffering a knee injury during Inverell’s innings.
Walcha sent Inverell in and dismissed them for 199 (Dick Onslow 4-54). How’s
this for coincidence? Only two Walcha bats reached double figures again. Graham
Croker came in at 4-11 and hit 30 while Peter Makeham batted with a runner for 16.
Walcha Firsts played their major semi-final at The Park and in one of the great
moments in journalism their opponents aren’t mentioned until the sixth paragraph.
Walcha played Glen Innes and lost by a run. Glen batted first and were
restricted to 120, Jim Laurie taking 5-32 including a hat-trick. Neville Holstein
caressed 51, but when Walcha’s ninth wicket fell they still needed seven runs for
victory. Last man in R.A.Laurie joined Denis Wall and hit five. He then pulled a
ball behind square leg and he and Denis started scampering. They made one but
R.A found the second a bit too tight and he was run out, leaving Walcha on 119.
Over the Easter weekend the Wheaton’s team played the Moree carnival and
finished second to the University of New England. Wheaton’s comprised Nev
and Max Holstein, Lincoln Wright, Herb, Rob and Bill Laurie, George Lyon,
and Gilbert Hicks from Walcha (and Gloucester); David Lawrie and C. Creegan
from Armidale, Don Hill from Guyra and B. Martin from Bundarra. Neville
Holstein was eligible to win trophies for highest aggregate, batting average, best
all-rounder, most fours and most sixes. The rules of the carnival limit any player
to one trophy and Nev chose the best all-rounder, leaving David Lawrie to pick up
most fours. Herb Laurie won most dismissals for a wicketkeeper. On a nasty track
against Moree Neville made 72 out of 167 and then took 3-14 off seven overs and
R.G. Laurie 3-31 as they dismissed Moree for 157. Wheaton’s dismissed Barwon
before lunch for 108 and then Neville hit 112 not out and David Lawrie 61, their
partnership worth 123 in 85 minutes.
Nowendoc opened the 1971-72 season with an easy win over Turton Cup
titleholders Colts. Sent in to bat Colts made 101 (Graham Croker 27; R. G. Laurie
5-36 off six overs of leg-spin). Herb Laurie was back with Nowendoc and he
retired on 67, R.G. made 44 and Neville Holstein retired on 38 as Nowendoc
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made 213. Nowendoc won the 1971-72 Turton Cup when they defeated Walcha
Road in a high-scoring match at the Common. Nowendoc declared at 9-222 after
Neville Holstein’s 60 including seven fours. Peter Boyd took 4-70 and then scored
37 and Jim Boyd 33 in Road’s 120 (R.G.Laurie 4-28.). Colts won the knock-out
Consolation final when they played a Rugby Union team with an average age of
about 16. This was an important change and Rugby Union lost its association
with the winter sport and basically became a team for schoolkids. Interestingly
enough, Des Hanna and Wayne Tolmie both swapped over from Commercial.
Rob Blomfield hit 10 boundaries in his 87 out of Colts’ 181 (Warwick Fletcher
31). Brian Malone bowled a 15-over spell for 6-54. The kids battled hard for their
104 runs, but Tolmie set the example with 50. A look at the scoreboards of Rugby
Union’s matches for the season would be a godsend for any old Walcha Centralite
wanting to organise a school reunion.
About this period a letter to the WDCA from the “High School, Walcha” had
this to say:
“Last season there was a high percentage of games in which one or both teams
could not field 11 players. Keeping this in mind I dreamt up a scheme whereby it is
possible to enable every team to have at least 11 players in every game.
“The scheme is this: There are quite a lot of boys at school who are pretty good
cricketers and who cannot play every week. Therefore they feel they cannot join a
team. I suggest therefore that a pool of ‘registered’ players be formed, where if any
team needs one or two players to make up the 11 then they may draw on players
from the pool. The proviso being that there are enough team players present not
to forfeit.
“I will be pleased to elaborate further on this scheme if you wish me to.”
The surname on the signature seems to be “White”.
The letter is undated, but I’m suspecting it’s from the late-’60s or early-’70s.
I don’t know if this was formalised but Rugby Union certainly benefited from
this type of scheme. In the competition proper they played in one of the more
interesting matches I’ve come across. Rugby Union dismissed Round Swamp for
25 (Wayne Tolmie 4-10) but were then bundled out for 16 (Denis Chandler 5-9).
Leg-spinner Mike Hawkins took a hat-trick for Walcha Road in their outright
over Round Swamp who were bundled out for 47 in their first innings (Mike
Hawkins 6-13). Road made 72 (Denis Chandler 5-18) and rolled Swamp for 147
(Denis Chandler 49, Gordon Bird 39). Hawkins hammered 79 not out and Ray Boyd
36 not out and Road had the outright. The de facto school side known as Rugby
Union had their moments and their disappointment as evidenced in two games
against Colts. First-time around they sent Colts in and cleaned them up for 114,
Colts only saved by Bob Bowden’s 33 not out. The attack was Wayne Tolmie 4-28
and schoolboys Brian Malone 2-37 and Andrew Cross 2-37. But then Union were
all out for 90, the inter-district hardened Malone 41 not out and Paul Cotterill 20. In
the second match Union made 80 (Brian Malone 31; Dick Macarthur-Onslow 5-17,
Richard Roland 3-0) and Colts made 206 (Irwin Brazel 60 retired, Rob Blomfield
41). They were hard but well-learnt lessons.
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An interesting tussle between Round Swamp when they outrighted Walcha
Road. The Road made 18, six ducks, top-score Fred Henry with seven, Gordon
Brooks 7-3. Swamp replied with 60, Jim Moore 3-5. Road were then bundled out
for 45, Brian Marshall 15 not out; Gordon Brooks 4-9, Paddles Chandler 3-12
and Swamp knocked off the runs 1-5. Marshall for Road was the schoolteacher
and it’s interesting seeing his name appear. Des Hanna has been in town for a
couple of years playing with Commercial and then Rugby Union and Billy Laurie
is performing well for Nowendoc. The reasons for these names? Walcha were
building for something special like the late-1950s.
Nowendoc dismissed Walcha Road for 90, newcomer Ern Botfield making
50 and Nowendoc replied with 144, R.G. Laurie hitting 57 with eight fours and a
six. Colts dismissed Round Swamp for 154 (Paddles Chandler 49; Graham Croker
6-29) and then rattled up 295 (Irwin Brazel 118 retired, Peter Makeham 76.) Colts
and Nowendoc met as the two undefeated teams and Nowendoc tallied 198, Bill
Holstein 92 with 13 boundaries, mainly hooks and cover drives, again unlucky
not to score a ton. R.A. Laurie made 37 and Herb Laurie 31 while Bob Bowden
sent down 18 overs for 4-68. Colts were only left with two hour’s batting time, but
were all out for 89 (Rob Blomfield 34; R.A. Laurie 5-31 off 10 overs). Gordy Bird
took 5-18 in a loss to Nowendoc. Andrew Cross took 7-20 for Union in a loss to
Road. Surely the C. Cross appearing in the Rugby Union scoreboards isn’t a young
Pommy?
Colts and Rugby Union christened the new Common wicket in a Saturday
game. Union batted first and yet another schoolie Greg Jepsen top-scored with 37
not out in their 115 (Wayne Tolmie 26; Bob Bowden 3-35). C. Cross is again in
the card, so it must be Pom and the Union side also comprised the three Cotterill
brothers, Geoff, Paul and John, Brian Malone Simeon Cross and Stephen Harrison.
Nice to see the youth of the town not running amok. Colts replied with 171. Duke
Boyd scored 49 out of 78 but future teammate Paddles Chandler was too good,
finishing with 5-7 from five overs and then 47 in Swamp’s win. Road suffered at
the hands of Nowendoc as well. R.A. Laurie hit 66 with three sixes, Rod Aynsley
44 with four sixes and three fours and Herb a steady 43 with one six in a 233 total.
Duke top-scored again with 38 in Road’s 107 reply.
Jim Laurie took 5-25 off nine overs and Dick Macarthur-Onslow 3-2 off two
overs in Swamps’ 48, not one batsman reaching double figures. Irwin Brazel hit
41 in Colts’ 106. Walcha Road and Union played an exciting two-innings Sunday
match at the Common. Road batted first and made 79 (Brian Malone 4-27, Wayne
Tolmie 3-19) and Union replied with 43 (Warren Bailey 22 not out; Ern Botfield
3-14, Jim Boyd 5-18). Road made a sporting second-innings declaration of 6-45
(Brian Malone 5-15) leaving Union an hour to get 81. They accepted the challenge
and finished 5-87 (Warren Bailey 31, Wayne Tolmie 23, Brian Malone 16 not out;
Howard Bourke 3-49). Neville Holstein hit 84 in Nowendoc’s 231. Swamp were
6-36 at one stage, but Kev Hoy, who came in first drop, found a partner in Robert
Marchant and they put on 90. Kev ended up hitting 15 fours and six in his 116, but
not enough to counter George Lyon’s 6-10.
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Walcha Road and Nowendoc played a draw with not too many ‘‘playing the
rock’’. Nowendoc made 163 and at stumps Road were four runs short at 8-159.
R.A. Laurie hit 68, 42 of which came from seven sixes. Peter Boyd then hit 76 for
Road, which included five sixes and four fours. R.G. Laurie was in great form all
year in club and inter-district and against Colts at the Common in a Sunday game
he hit 109 retired with eight fours and two sixes in Nowendoc’s 2(dec)-255 (Bill
Holstein 72, Nev Holstein 35 retired). Colts were 3-199 at stumps (Peter Makeham
74, Peter Bowden 50, Richard Roland 33).
Nowendoc and Colts played the 1971-72 News Cup final “on the sportsground
on the Uralla road’’. The rising Rugby Union “schoolboys” side were a little
unlucky as their steady progress enabled them to reach the semis where they
were beaten by Colts. Nowendoc defeated Round Swamp in the other semi. Rob
Blomfield was establishing his credentials as a big-match player and he made 75 in
Colts’ first-innings 157 (Wayne Tolmie 3-21). Union replied with 83 (Irwin Brazel
6-44). Blomfield completed the double by making 45 in Colts’ second-innings 190
(Dick Macarthur-Onslow 41, Denis Makeham 36; Wayne Tolmie 4-74). With 264
needed for victory the young Union boys took up the challenge. They finished
8-238 just 26 short of victory. Geoff ‘‘Toby’’ Cotterill made 76, Brian Malone 71
not out and Wayne Tolmie 51. R.G. Laurie continued his stellar season by scoring
94 in Nowendoc’s semi against Round Swamp. Neville Holstein scored 42, and
Bill Laurie 35 in Nowendoc’s imposing 261 (Kev Hoy 4-60). Swamp were all out
for 84 in their first innings (Will Watson 6-18) and 163 in their second (Paul Hoy
63, K. Hoy 56).
‘‘Cricket final interesting’’ was the interesting headline after the first day’s
play of the final. Nowendoc batted first and made 209, Bill Holstein 80, Herb
Laurie 36 and Nev Holstein 34 making the runs. Bob Bowden, again, took 5-71
and Jim Laurie 3-72. Colts hit a first-innings lead of 32 thanks to a fine 128 by Rob
Blomfield. Dick Macarthur-Onslow 29 also contributed. Best of the Nowendoc
bowlers were R.G. ‘‘Truck’’ Laurie with 5-87 while Neville Holstein took 3-47.
Nowendoc finished the day at 1-90, Bill Holstein 64 not out (a good double).
Nowendoc went on to win the major premiership for the News Cup by defeating
Colts outright by the slim margin of nine runs. Nowendoc achieved the rare feat
of going through the season undefeated, but Colts batted with only nine men in
the second innings because Warwick Fletcher and Irwin Brazel played in a rugby
knockout in Narrabri and were selected in the Central North team. This was
echoed years later when Rob Laurie, Andrew Cross and Rod Natty went to the
Group 19 rugby league trials.
Nowendoc made 209 and 154 and Colts 241 and 113. Two batsman dominated
the scoring. Bill Holstein topped the scoring for Nowendoc in both innings with
scores of 80 and 72 while Robert Blomfield performed the same feat for Colts with
scores of 128 and 31. It was the same in the bowling, Bob Bowden for Colts took
5-71 in the first innings and 7-73 and the second. Jim Laurie backed him up with
3-72 and 3-38. R.G. Laurie took 5-87 and 2-18 while his uncle helped out with 1-50
and 5-58. Interesting contribution from an ageing Neville Holstein, 34 in the first
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dig, and bowling figures of 3-47 and 2-9. George Lyon opened the batting and
bowling for Nowendoc, which was almost a who’s who of previous Nowendoc and
Riamukka teams (Herb Laurie and Willy Watson). Colts boasted Blomfield, Jim
Laurie, Irwin, Warwick, Bob Bowden, some Makehams (Dennis and Peter) and a
man who loved his cricket and was always in the game, Dick Macarthur-Onslow
(1-35, and 29; and 18) and other characters Dick Wayte and David Boyd.
Bob Bowden bowled his heart out for years and always seemed to perform
well in finals.
Rob Blomfield was no more the heir apparent to the great all-rounder mantel,
he was it. He often pondered what his season aggregates and averages would be if
semis and finals were taken into account. Extraordinary I’d say.
For years of backbreaking toil, some reward at last for Bob Bowden, but not
the bowling average. Bob won the batting average for 1971-72, with eight innings,
seven not outs for 56 runs at an average of 56. He was followed by Peter Makeham
(Colts) 8, 0, 369, 43.1; Irwin Brazel (Colts) 10, 0, 367, 36.7; Rob Blomfield (Colts)
8, 0, 281, 36.1 and R.G. Laurie (Nowendoc) 8, 0, 268, 33.5. Peter Makeham won
the aggregate and Under-21 average as well. Wonder if anyone thought of calling
him ‘‘Uncle Turbo’’?
George Lyon jnr (Nowendoc) won the bowling taking 23 wickets for 158 runs
at 6.80. He was followed by Dick Macarthur-Onslow (Colts) 26, 198, 7.50; Denis
Chandler (Round Swamp) 20, 165, 8.25; R.A. Laurie (Nowendoc) 15, 153, 10.20
and Andrew Cross (Rugby Union) 15, 155, 10.30. Dick Macarthur-Onslow took
the most wickets, Andrew Cross won the Under-21 bowling and Peter Brazel took
the most catches.
In inter-district cricket in 1971-72 the Firsts had a first-innings win over
Tenterfield and the Seconds had an outright at the Common. Walcha Firsts sent
Tenterfield in and dismissed them for 147 in 48 overs after they had them 6-42.
R.G. Laurie bowled 17 overs for 3-50 and Ern Botfield 13 overs for 3-31. Warwick
Fletcher top-scored with 58 batting at first drop in Walcha’s 244 after Herb Laurie,
23, opened with son Bill, who scored 47. Other son R.G. made 48 and Denis
Makeham 46 not out. The Seconds batted first and were happy with their 211.
It was a solid card, Toby Cotterill top-scored with 39 from Paul Hoy 38, Dick
Onslow 33 and Graham Croker 20. Tenterfield only lasted nine overs for 26 runs
and Brian Malone was hostile taking 7-15. They made 165 in their second dig, not
enough to make Walcha bat again, the wickets shared evenly.
The Firsts played a draw with Glen Innes at home. Glen made 9-214 (R.A.
Laurie 3-65, Jim Laurie 3-38, Ern Botfield 3-86) and Walcha were 4-179 at
stumps (Rob Blomfield 45 not out, Herb Laurie 35, Nev Holstein 34 not out). The
Seconds were beaten by 127 runs at Glen Innes, Davey Fletcher made 44 and Dick
Macarthur-Onslow, 43, our best.
Bill Holstein’s first match of the season was against New England and he hit a
chanceless 118 in three hours 14 minutes with 14 boundaries. New England had
declared at 5-263 (A. Thompson 79, D. Lawrie 59, G. Wood 57; Nev Holstein 2-5),
leaving Walcha just under even time to get the runs. Walcha finished on 9-234 in
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conditions so poor the streetlights were already on. Neville Holstein made 38 and
Peter Makeham 37. New England Second XI outrighted Walcha. They made 183
(Brian Malone 4-20) and dismissed Walcha for 65 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 21,
Brian Malone 17 not out) and 61 (Brian Malone 13 the only bat to reach double
figures). It wasn’t the only troubling match the Seconds played. They lost outright
to Guyra playing with eight men, the second time in the season they were short.
As the Walcha News reported it causes “embarrassment to the captain, the players
and probable defeat”. Walcha won the toss and elected to bat, maybe in the hope
of reinforcements arriving, and Wayne Tolmie made a commendable 45 out of 81.
Guyra only made 117 (Dick Macarthur-Onslow 4-38, Graham Croker 5-28), but
Walcha were bundled out for 56 in their second dig (Denis Makeham 32). Guyra
then made 3-24. Inverell had a comfortable win over the Seconds at The Common
after declaring at 6-270 and then dismissing Walcha for 129, Brian Malone batting
well for 62. That Second XI included schoolboys Brian Malone, Brian Croker,
Geoff Cotterill and Andrew Cross.
Rain interruptions robbed the Firsts of time and victory over Guyra at The
Common. Guyra made 203, spinners R.G. Laurie, 3-55 and Lincoln Wright, 3-47,
the best. Walcha were five runs short of victory on 6-199 when rain stopped play.
R. G. Laurie was 89 not out with nine fours and Irwin Brazel 48 not out and they’d
shared an eighth-wicket partnership of 100. No luck against Inverell at Inverell
either. Sent in to bat R.G. continued his good run of scores and made 42, Bill
Holstein 40 and Warwick Fletcher 39 in Walcha’s 166. Inverell replied with 7-171,
Irwin Brazel had 2-0.
A clipping of an undated match, but probably from 1971-72 or 1972-73 is worth
noting. Colts could only manage 104, Irwin Brazel 48 and Graham Croker 30
providing the bulk and Kevvie Hoy taking 4-12. But it’s the first appearance of
Stephen Goodwin. Young “Normie” took 1-25. Swamp were all out for 96, Denis
Chandler 30 and ever-reliable Bob Bowden 6-37 the stars. Colts knocked up 204
in their second dig, Blomfield 61, Irwin Brazel 54 the main scorers. Don Margery
playing for Colts hit 20 while Paddles Chandler snared 4-35. Swamp were all out
for 121, Kevvie Hoy ever taking up the fight with 49 while Bob Bowden completed
a great double taking 7-57 and Blomfield 2-15.
Richard Macarthur-Onslow’s President’s Report for the 1971-72 season:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the honour to present to you my report on
the 1971-72 season. It has not been one of our most successful seasons, because
neither of our District teams reached the semi-finals. But we are fortunate in that
we have some young players with great potential, and as they gain confidence and
experience we may expect great things from them. The District competitions were
won by Glen Innes in the Firsts and Inverell in the Seconds, and we congratulate
these teams. “Within our own competition the Turton Cup was won by Nowendoc, who
completed a fine double by winning the premiership, and hence the News Cup, in
a closely fought final from last year’s premiers, Colts. My congratulations to them
on a fine effort.
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“The minor premiership was also very close, with Colts winning from
Nowendoc by a very slight margin. “It is with the greatest possible pleasure that I offer my congratulations to the
winner of the batting averages, Bob Bowden. I think it is splendid that a number
11 batsman should win this, and Bob is living proof that if you don’t get out then
you must have a good average. Bob got out only once in competition matches this
season. But I do look to him for an improvement next year, because he said to me
last Sunday that he thought his batting this season was his worst ever.
“I also have great pleasure in congratulating George Lyon on his winning the
bowling average, for I believe that this is the first time that this has been done by
an under-21 player. I think this is marvellous, and I think George has a big future
as a bowler. The highest run aggregate goes to Peter Makeham, and again I am
pleased to congratulate an under-21 player. It seems that the boys are sorting out
the men, and I am glad to see it.
“We wish to thank those who have organised tonight’s dinner for us. May I
ask you to show your appreciation for the Walcha Golf Club; for our caterer, Mr
Anderson, and his staff; and for David Fletcher who once again has done all the
hard work. We have during the season suffered the loss of one of our greatest
supporters, in the person of Mr A.G. Blomfield. Mr Blomfield was a Patron of this
Association, and was held in the greatest respect and affection by all of us. Our
Association, and cricket, are the poorer without him, and we offer our sympathy
to his family. “Our recording secretary, Graham Croker, left us during the year, and we
much regret his departure. Graham did a remarkable job for us. We are fortunate
that his duties have been so ably taken over by Peter Makeham. To Graham and
Peter, and to David Fletcher, our overworked Secretary, I ask you to show your
appreciation.
“To the many others who have helped us – the members of sub-committees,
those who have stood as umpires, those who have simply watched us, the gentlemen
of the press who have so fully reported us, and all those who have helped us in
other ways, we offer our thanks and appreciation.
“There is one point upon which I feel I must make adverse comment, and
that is that the attendance at our Annual General Meeting and at the Delegates’
meeting has been appalling. We had precisely seven at the AGM. If we are to play
cricket, then the Association must have your support, for otherwise we cannot
operate.
“I have left to the last a matter which has probably been first in all our
thoughts. For very many years this Association has wanted and needed a turf
wicket. We now have that turf wicket, and it is in large measure due to the good
offices of the Members and employees of the Shire Council that we have it. The
Shire President Mr Gibson is here tonight as our guest, and I can assure him
that it is fully appreciated, and will be very fully enjoyed. The wicket is now
the sole responsibility of this Association. I am pleased indeed with the way it
is progressing, but it does need work, quite a lot of work, and I ask you all to do
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your utmost to come and help when needed. If we get a good number of helpers it
is easy. For example, the rye grass must be cut out, and this can only be done by
hand. Fifteen of us could do it in a couple of hours, two of us would take slightly
longer. So, when a working bee is advertised, please come and do your bit. I hope
that we may be playing on it later in the coming season, but this depends on our
own efforts, and the weather. “I feel that financial matters are out of place at a gathering of this kind, and I
will not go into them. They will be discussed fully at the AGM, but the position is
pleasing. What I do want to say is that we are most deeply grateful to those who
have contributed to our appeal, and to them all on behalf of our Association I say
‘Thank you’. Mr Cleve Gibson has most kindly agreed to speak to us, and I will
ask him now to take over.”
A letter to WDCA secretary Rob Blomfield from shire clerk Alf Devey in 197273 approved the application to use the playing fields on the Uralla Road, and The
Park, but “the Council expresses disappointment at the standard of maintenance
of the new turf wicket as carried out to this stage. It also hopes that greater efforts
will be made to put the turf wicket in a playing condition as soon as possible.” The
comp was now centred on the Common in more ways than one. There were only
two “country teams” left in, Nowendoc and Round Swamp, Walcha Road having
joining Riamukka on the sidelines. Nowendoc, also playing in Gloucester, were
lucky enough to gain the services of Denis Wall for their Walcha commitments, as
“town team” Commercial had folded as well.
Round Swamp had an easy win over Rugby Union in the 1972-73 Turton
Cup, bundling Union out for 41 in 11 overs (Denis Chandler 4-16, Paul Hoy 4-0,
Maurice Chandler 2-0). Swamp made 193 (Kev Hoy 30, and Garth Clare against
his schoolmates 27 not out).
Round Swamp won the 1972-73 Turton Cup with Kev Hoy knocking up 70 out
of 160 (Paul Hoy 33; George Lyon 6-50) and then dismissing Nowendoc for 122.
In the 1972-73 season 10 men from Nowendoc defeated nine from Rugby
Union. It’s not the sort of game I would have normally included, but for the
mysterious John Jackett. Nowendoc made 119 (Bill Holstein 33, Billy Laurie 24
and Denis Wall 19; J. Jackett 4-31). Gary Natty already had a season under his
belt, but for some reason Peter’s name hasn’t appeared in scoreboards, but here he
is in 1972-73. Union only managed 63, but Jackett wore an all-rounder’s coat that
day and top-scored with 32 (Springhead 16 not out). R.G. Laurie continued his
previous year’s form hitting 92 in Nowendoc’s 182 (Warwick Fletcher 5-58) and
Colts were 2-182 (Denis Makeham 83 not out, Irwin Brazel 66).
Nev Holstein turned out again and he picked up 44 and Bill Laurie 50 in a
draw with Round Swamp, now boasting Toby Cotterill, 34. But Nowendoc were
in the upset of the season when they lost to Rugby Union. Nowendoc were bundled
out for 69 in what would have been the bulk of the Walcha Central School attack,
Brian Malone 5-28, Andrew Cross 1-21, Peter Natty 2-10. Again the scoreboard’s
a ripper, crediting Cross with two wickets and Natty with one. John Fleming
and Revee McCormack had come over from Colts to guide the kids, but it was
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Peter Natty’s 20 that helped them to 78 and victory. The Makehams had been in
solid form for two seasons and they were at it again against Round Swamp. Colts
declared at 6-226 (Peter Makeham 68 not out, Irwin Brazel 60, Denis Makeham
50) over Swamp 153. Colts put another big score on Swamp of 258 (Rob Blomfield
59, Irwin Brazel 55) after Peter Boyd, now with Round Swamp scored 98 out
of Swamp’s 178 (Peter Makeham 3-6). Swamp were on the receiving end again
after making a solid 201 (Kev Hoy 64, Geoff Cotterill 24; George Lyon 7-55).
R.G. Laurie was unbeaten on 136 including 14 fours and two sixes in Nowendoc’s
322 (Nev Holstein 43). The same pair did it to Swamp in another game, Neville
Holstein 113 retired and R.G. Laurie 68 retired in Nowendoc’s 5(dec)-199 and then
Denis Wall took 6-51 in Swamp’s 146 (Geoff Cotterill 71). At one stage during the
season Neville Holstein hit three centuries in succession in three different comps.
On the Sunday he made 112 for Nowendoc in the Walcha comp against Colts, then
112 for Nowendoc next Saturday in the Gloucester comp and on the Sunday 137
for Gloucester inter-district side against Singleton.
The scorebooks weren’t handed in for the publication of full scores for this
match, but the News report says it was a “semi-final” and Nowendoc made 3-240
with Neville Holstein scoring 115 and Denis Wall 106. Colts replied with 215,
Peter Makeham scoring 70. By all accounts that should be the 1972-73 season with
Denis Wall playing for Nowendoc, but they couldn’t have played a semi against
Colts because those sides met in the final.
Colts defeated Nowendoc quite easily in final of the News Cup to be WDCA
premiers for 1972-73. Nowendoc could only manage 42 thanks to Jim Laurie’s
5-20 and Rob Blomfield’s 4-21. Colts then made 152 (Irwin Brazel 50, Rob
Blomfield 33, Dick Macarthur-Onslow 33; Lincoln Wright 4-39, R.A. Laurie 3-58).
Nowendoc managed 149 second-time around (Denis Wall 43, R.G. Laurie 34; Jim
Laurie 4-38, Rob Blomfield 5-68) and Colts wrapped it up at 5-41. Blomfield was
the finals king. Some consolation for Colts after the result of the previous season
and it didn’t hurt that Irwin Brazel and Warwick Fletcher were able to play the full
game this time. On the same page of Neville Holstein’s scrapbook that has the
WDCA 1972-73 final scoreboard, he has the Australian Test averages for the 1975
tour of England, which shows Rick McCosker leading with 82.80. I wonder how
“Joe” would have gone in an Ashes series? He might have been wondering himself
in the context of Rick’s performances against Walcha over the years.
But the grand final of 1972-73 was as interesting for the fact than Neville failed
twice as much as a few other aspects. The men that would hold cricket together
all featured: R.G. (Rob) Laurie, Rob Blomfield, Warwick Fletcher, Denis Wall
and Irwin Brazel. Nowendoc were off to Gloucester, where the grass was not so
much greener, but growing, on turf wickets. Blomfield really confirmed what an
outstanding cricketer he was and represented Country soon after this. He was
the ultimate big-match player in Walcha. Nowendoc won the Gloucester District
Cricket Association competition for 1972-73. The team was Michael Woods,
Marsden Green, Lincoln Wright, George Lyon, Don Margery, Max Holstein,
R.A. Laurie, Bill Holstein, Rolland Berry, R.G. Laurie, Neville Holstein and Herb
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Laurie (capt). George Lyon took 8-25 in the final and Billy Holstein scored 64.
In inter-district cricket in 1972-73 Walcha lost the first match of the season
to Guyra. Donnie Hill hit a great (from Guyra’s viewpoint) 131 out of 199, R.G.
Laurie taking 5-59. Walcha replied with 136, Denis Wall playing a fine hand for
66 (run out), while Peter Makeham with 20 was the only other bat to make double
figures. Seems like a bit of the changing of the guard here. Jim Laurie played,
but not R.A. or Herb Laurie or Neville, Max or Bill Holstein. The side included
Doug Jamieson, G. Stewart, Denis Chandler, Peter Boyd and Richard Roland. The
big guns returned and Walcha bounced back, the Firsts with a win over Inverell,
scoring 175 (Warwick Fletcher 40, Peter Makeham 32) and dismissing Inverell
for 173 in a nailbiter. The last wicket for the Highlanders needed 11 and eked out
nine (Bob Bowden 6-58). Blomfield’s club form was showing at inter-district level
as well. Walcha made 7-207 (Rob Blomfield 52, Nev Holstein 30, Irwin. Brazel
25, Warwick Fletcher 25) and dismissed Glen for 147 (Bob Bowden 4-35, Rob
Blomfield 3-21).
The Seconds played Glen Innes in Walcha and went down by 12 runs in a good
match. Glen made 162, Brian Malone taking 5-37, and Walcha made 150, ‘‘Toby’’
Cotterill continuing his good form of the previous year top-scoring with 67 and
Doug Jamieson, 39, the best. Lee Fletcher is in the side, on holidays from school
maybe? He, along with other members Jamieson, Peter Boyd, Paul Hoy and Garth
Clare went on to make significant contributions to Walcha cricket. Stephen Lisle
is in the side too, preparing the way for Rohan.
W
alcha’s run of success from the recommencement of the competition in
1946 through to the War Veterans’ Cup win in 1969-70 was nothing short of
remarkable. Inter-district finals appearances, representative players of the highest
order and significant contributors to touring sides all suggested that the booming
1950s and the swinging 1960s were the order of the day. But the longer the success
lasted the longer a disturbing undercurrent went unchecked. The success of the
’60s was ’50s-based and when the last vestiges of the ’50s were gone some stark
realities were on display. Player numbers had been dropping from the late-’50s and
the “country” teams started to disappear with sad regularity throughout the 1960s.
Riamukka and Nowendoc had been powerhouses for two decades and provided
exceptional quality cricketers to Walcha and representative sides.
Further evidence of the decline. In 1968 Arthur and Dulcie Margery donated
the Glen Forest cup for matches between Nowendoc and Riamukka. Even that
waned by 1970-71, but was started up again in 1984. Also in the 1980s “in the
red-soil country” a youngies v oldies match was started as a fund-raiser for local
organisations, showing once again the social importance of cricket.
In 2007 Warwick Fletcher organised a cricket reunion to coincide with a
visit by the great 1960s left-arm tearaway Jim Laurie, who was travelling back
through town. Herb Laurie (no relation) quickly put some notes together just after
the occasion.
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Following is a paraphrase of Herb’s “Report on Events and Players of Walcha
Cricket in the Years 1946-1974”.
“Recently Walcha District Cricket Association hosted a reunion of past and
present players. Not all the events of these years could be discussed. I will attempt
to mention players of some note. The Walcha competition after the War was very
good, and great social days, as the matches were played all-day Sunday with
most of the family members attending for picnic-style lunch and afternoon tea.
Moreover cricket was played with great discipline. As a result cricketers from
Walcha were selected to represent the Tablelands Cricket Council and called on for
invitation tours with teams such as the Wheaton’s XI. Walcha cricketers were also
able to take on representative positions. Col Wall and Viv Partridge were selectors
and managers of Northern Tablelands Juniors for some years. Owen Sweeney
took on the secretary’s position for the Northern Tablelands Cricket Council and
his action saved the council from folding.
“As the older players retired from District cricket the younger, less-experienced
cricketers were selected. The following older players took over the captaincy
and management of these young players: Col Wall, who held the team together
until they could handle the higher standard of cricket; then Percy Golledge was
appointed captain and he insisted upon strict discipline; finally Andy Fletcher
taught the team determination and his “stand your ground men” became our motto.
“There are a number of events that I remember from these years. Owen
Sweeney driving fast bowlers off a length when playing for club or representing
the Tablelands Cricket Council or Wheaton’s XI. I cannot remember Owen being
run out, or his partner, in any of Owen’s innings.
“Andy Fletcher stumping Reg Finney (Inverell) on the Walcha Park from a
delivery that lifted chest high from Sam Stephens’ bowling. All Andy said was
‘gotcha’.
“Sam and Aubrey Brazel’s double-century opening partnership against
Nowendoc at Glen Morrison. Sam Stephens’ outstanding bowling against Glen
Innes on glazed concrete and his 7-27. Don and Lindsay Margery putting on a
170-run opening partnership against Riamukka at Nowendoc. Barry Holstein’s
innings of 110 not out at Nowendoc in 35 minutes. Fred Roper bowling a shortpitched ball on the Walcha Park that cleared the fence for six wides. He also bowled
another short ball that cleared the fence at Yarrowitch, also called six wides.
“Stan and Lester Moore bowling at Yarrowitch and destroying the batting
of the younger Riamukka Second XI for eight runs. Bob Wall’s (Red Bob) two
centuries over two weekends at Niangala, and he would have scored a third century
(against Riamukka) except for a great leg-cutter bowled by Max Goldsmith.
“Max Holstein’s 75 eight-ball overs bowled over five days at Brisbane Country
Week. He did not bowl one bad ball in these overs. Also, Max Holstein’s bowling
in the War Veterans’ Cup at Tamworth when he cleaned up the ex-state player
Thomas with a great delivery, enabling us to win the match.
“Don Margery’s classy batting against Armidale in an opening partnership of
138. Will Watson’s left-arm swingers and chippers destroying the Colts batting in
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their second inning that enabled Riamukka to win the final in l958.
“Gordon Jamieson produced a great spell of bowling when Riamukka were
4-170 chasing 183 to win and he claimed 5-4 and enabled his team to win that
year’s final.
“Peter Fenwicke’s bowling for the Tablelands against Tasmania’s state team,
his 6-36 enabling Tablelands to win outright.
“Dave McHilton’s fast bowling at Orandumbie ground with Lal Brown
’keeping over the stumps. Dave could change the course of a match in four or
five overs with his bowling or batting. Reynold Mullen’s efforts against Lismore
with Wheaton’s XI earned him the player of the match. His speed bowling was
outstanding and a quickfire 57 enabled us to beat the best team on the North Coast.
“Elwyn Hoy won the bowling average two years in succession playing with
Lonsdale Bridge in the Eastern Zone competition.
“Nev Holstein’s innings of 146 not out against Digger Colts XI on Ken
Mackay’s home ground in Brisbane Country Week. Ken Mackay watched this
match and classed the innings as the best he had seen on the ground.
“Nev Holstein and Lance Kermode’s partnership for the Tablelands against
North-West at Quirindi when they scored 121 off John Gleeson’s mystery spin
bowling in nine overs. Gleeson was Australia’s spinner the next year. Lance
Kermode and me shared an opening partnership of l77 against Far North-West XI
at Walgett. His 120 was scored before lunch in one session. Ron Green bowling
against North-West at Quirindi for the Tablelands XI was outstanding, taking five
wickets and four of these caught in first slip.
“Walcha District team played three seasons without losing a match and during
these three seasons no catches were dropped. Roy Chandler was the best leg-spin
bowler in northern NSW. His record is too long to list here but I would like to
mention his 6-16 with a wet ball against Dungog, the leading team in the Hunter
Valley Competition. He was also a solid first-wicket bat and saved our District on
many occasions.
“Aiden Wall discussed with the Walcha XI skipper his idea of bowling to
Inverell batsmen on the leg stump instead of attacking the off stump. After picking
up two wickets at leg slip in his first two overs, his bowling that day enabled
Walcha to beat Inverell at Inverell – no mean feat.
“Bill Holstein’s innings on a drying wicket against Stephen Jones, who was in
Australia on a cricket scholarship from Lancashire, was a great example of how to
leave the lifting fast bowling alone.
“R.A. Laurie and Jim Laurie’s bowling against Tamworth in the last War
Veterans’ Cup win was fast, hostile and too good. Don Margery’s leg-side stumping
against Tamworth’s top batsman is claimed as possibly the best stumping seen at
Tamworth’s No.1 Oval. This was a great team, only one catch was dropped, by me
at leg slip. It was fast, but could and should have been taken because it could have
cost the match.
“I would rather get a duck than drop a catch and now my race is nearly run I
think back over the great club cricketers in Walcha – the Brazels, Bowdens, Hoys,
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Fletchers, Walls and many others that made Walcha cricket such a great success.
Great cricket, great memories, great days. I have no records, only memory, and I
hope these comments are mainly correct.”
Herb’s memory is extraordinary. Fortunately a lot of the records exist, and
as we’ve seen with a look at some of the other great cricket, great memories and
great days. He had started with Riamukka when they formed in 1947 and by the
1970s they’d dropped out of the Walcha competition. Nowendoc, firmly ensconced
in the Gloucester competition as well in the early 1970s, had been threatening to
leave Walcha for some time. Was it the fact that Walcha still played club cricket
on Sundays, the lack of turf wickets, the strength of the respective comps, or the
fact some of the players had moved to the Gloucester district? Maybe all of the
above. The answer is obtainable because the main players are still alive. Harder
to fathom is the loss of the three stars, Peter Fenwicke, through retirement, and
Lance Kermode and Barry Holstein through misfortune. But the significance of
their departures is palpable. Once again the elite, youth, and beauty of the district
were gone.
But consider this. Would Peter Fenwicke have retired from cricket if he hadn’t
been so soundly beaten in his first War Veterans’ campaign and then been part
of a convincing victory in 1962-63? Given that he’d captained his country in
another sport? And would Lance Kermode have still been playing in the Walcha
competition in 1968-69 given that he had the opportunity to play Sheffield Shield
for Queensland and NSW? And wouldn’t Barry Holstein have followed the
Nowendoc boys to Gloucester? In some way, shape or form the father, son and the
holy ghost caught the last train for the coast.
The WDCA association received a letter and a $2 protest fee from “Rob Laurie,
Acting Secretary, Nowendoc C.C.” dated February 27, 1972 complaining that
Nowendoc were deemed to have forfeited in a match against Rugby Union. The
protest letter said Nowendoc had never been officially informed of this Saturday
match and that no draw had been published in the paper. The complaint said the
“Walcha District Cricket Association accepted Nowendoc C.C.’s nomination on
the condition that they (Nowendoc) be not compelled to play Saturday cricket in
Walcha if that match coincided with their commitments in the Gloucester Cricket
Competition.”
The protest was dismissed and the $2 returned.
Barry Holstein and his fiancée were buried at Tamworth Lawn Cemetery on
November 4, Melbourne Cup day. Rain Lover wasn’t the only champion to salute
the judge that day, two of the district’s finest took the hopes and dreams of many.
“Blue” was in fact one of the “golden” boys of cricket’s “golden era”. The Walcha
News of Thursday, November 6, 1969 published the report, saying “. . . the popular
young couple who were to have been married at the end of the month were killed
in a motor accident on Sunday evening’’ about 5.50pm at the Congi bridge on the
Oxley Highway, 21 miles west of Walcha.
‘‘Mr Holstein was one of Walcha’s best sportsmen in cricket and tennis and
a very popular resident of the district, while Miss Gardiner was a very pleasing
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nursing sister at the Tamworth Base Hospital. They were returning to Tamworth
where they were to have been given a pre-wedding party by the nursing staff of
Tamworth Base Hospital.”
The leg-spinning successor to Roy Chandler, who batted like his brother Max,
was gone, along with the little communities that had made the competition. There
had been the last hurrah. The vestiges of the golden era hung on to win Tablelands
and another War Vets’ cup in 1970 and Nowendoc claimed the News Cup one
more time in a tight game against a Colts team that batted nine men in their second
dig. Their move to the Gloucester comp leaving only Round Swamp to carry on
the tradition of the “country” teams. Not that it mattered much because all the
games were played in Walcha. Rob Laurie, Denis Wall, Kev Hoy, Peter Boyd,
Willie Makeham, Irwin Brazel, Revee McCormack and some Fletchers among
others would carry the legacy. And Robert Blomfield, who scored a big ton for
that losing Colts side in Nowendoc’s last final win, would carry the baton in terms
of the golden era standard for another decade. But the music had begun to die the
day in 1968 when his fellow Combined Country representative Lance Kermode
was found dead.
Grief is the price we pay for love. And sorrow has no sense of time. Herb
Laurie has extraordinary recall, but his abiding memory is of Lance Kermode.
The Walcha cricket community understands this.
The end of their enduring partnership came, ironically enough, at Easter.
“I still don’t know what happened. Not for sure,” Herb says.
“He knew I had membership of the Royal Easter Show and he rang me up and
said ‘Can you meet me down there? I’ve got a problem.’ And I agreed to meet him
on the Thursday before Good Friday. I said I’ll be going home and you can keep
my membership.
“He never turned up. I turned up. I went to the Cattleman’s Bar and had a beer
and he never turned up at 2 o’clock.”
The next week Herb Laurie was up the paddock on a horse when he noticed
people running towards him, shouting.
“It’s a terrible thing. He’s shot.”
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When The War Is Over
(1974-2011)
On to a big ton
“You should see young Thomas. He’s just like Barry.”
Ruth Cotterill
S
tand your ground men was the battle-cry for another generation. Yet nobody
embodied the spirit of the call to arms more than the respective sons of the
man who made the statement and one of the men to whom it was personally
directed. Herb Laurie was “close handy and divin’ for cover when he saw that
Gordon Jamieson’s half-arsed leg-cutter pitch short”, but his son Rob, and Andy
Fletcher’s son Warwick, lived the mantra. In any society in any age they would be
regarded as warriors. They knew no backward step on any sporting arena in any
code in which they appeared. The baby boomers are pilloried and praised in equal
measure by society’s commentators, but in terms of Walcha cricket no group has
stood taller. There were no men returning for them by 1973-74, only men leaving.
In general economic terms, conditions were tough. Gough might have reckoned
it was time, but people in the bush weren’t quite ready for a recession on top of a
drought.
The end of the 1950s was the apotheosis of sport in Walcha and the town’s
pre-eminence in Northern Tablelands cricket remained for another decade. But
where the late 1960s looked likely to see a repeat of the formation of a gifted and
winning team, the opposite occurred. Not many districts could lose players of the
quality of Peter Fenwicke, Lance Kermode and Barry Holstein from a possible
starting XI, and Walcha was no exception. But the drop in player numbers and
the resultant drop in standard of the week-in week-out competition to a degree
mimicked the economic conditions of the period, and demographics. There were
15 good agricultural years from the breaking of the drought in 1947 through to
1963-64. The ’50s let the good times roll, but by the end of the ’60s Walcha was
starting to sing the blues. Personal tragedies combined with drought to put the
district in a slough of despond. The population was decreasing as rural work dried
up. A lot of the timber mills big and small either scaled back or closed. In terms
of cricket demographics the whole nature of the competition changed. Gone were
the salad days of family picnics and four-gallon tins of tea as men disputed snicks,
run-outs and lbws on the little grounds that were the hub of the bush communities.
As the ’60s wore on slowly they disappeared . . . Glen Morrison, Yarrowitch,
Ingleba, Riamukka and then eventually the town team, Commercial. After the
1971-72 season, Walcha Road, which along with Nowendoc has probably the
longest-surviving name in the history of the game in the district, also caught
the train out of town. The game became centred on the town of Walcha itself or
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more strictly, the playing fields at the New Common, now the John Oxley. But in
a wonderful connection to the past some of the long-standing names remained,
reminding us of those glory days. Just as the elders passed on the lore of the game
in generations past, the famous names started batting in partnerships again with
a team goal in mind – to rebuild cricket. They were joined by new families, who
created their own niche.
Walcha cricket had survived the busts that followed the booms of the 19th
century, and two World Wars and a Depression in the 20th century. Only droughts
and changing rural demographics threatened it. If you include Orandumbie, St.
Aubyn’s, Tia, Lonsdale Bridge and Yarrowitch, then Round Swamp has one of the
most enduring traditions of Walcha cricket. Round Swamp won the Yalgoo Shield
as minor premiers in 1938 and were beaten in the 1941 final by Apsley. They didn’t
consolidate quite as quickly after the War, but benefited from the demise of other
teams, notably Lonsdale Bridge and Yarrowitch. In terms of results, they have
probably been the most consistent team in the Walcha competition since the War.
The list of Yalgoo Shield winners in the period that includes the golden era after
the War, until Nowendoc drops out at the end of the 1972-73 season, reveals both
the tapering of the competition and Swamp’s pre-eminence: 1946 Walcha No.2;
1947 Colts; 1948 Commercial; 1949 Commercial; 1950 Colts; 1951 Commercial;
1952 Walcha Road; 1953 Round Swamp; 1954 Riamukka; 1955 Riamukka; 1956
Round Swamp; 1957 Riamukka; 1958 Round Swamp; 1959 Round Swamp; 1960
Round Swamp; 1961 Riamukka; 1962 Ingleba; 1963 Ingleba; 1964 Nowendoc;
1965 Commercial; 1966 Commercial; 1967 Round Swamp; 1968 Round Swamp;
1969 Riamukka; 1970 Round Swamp; 1971 Nowendoc; 1972 Colts, 1973 Round
Swamp.
Herbie Laurie may have helped rebuild Riamukka, but that was one club in
a competition and community keen to get back to “old ways” after the War. In
the early 1970s the “brains trust” of Walcha cricket was left with a much tougher
task. Like cricket itself, it was a numbers game. But when the going gets tough . .
. Riamukka’s great rivals had always been Round Swamp, and the Hoys. But Rob
Laurie knew a Hoy would never let a Laurie down and he received the full support
of another generation of Swampies. They teamed up with Fletchers, Walls,
Blomfields, Brazels and Boyds and the other famous old names of the district to
resurrect the competition, again. As usual Round Swamp were there, organised
and ready to provide whatever assistance was needed. Kev Hoy had been involved
with many great Swamp victories and he carried as much tradition as any other
long-standing “name” in Walcha cricket. The Birds hadn’t flown either, or the
Chandlers. Most importantly a good win was there for the taking for Swamp
and Walcha – Stephen “Norm” Goodwin. Rob Blomfield had returned from
Armidale, where the beauty of the surrounds belied the hard-nosed approach of
the competition, to the romance of the bush . . . where the beauty of the surrounds
belied the hard-nosed approach of the competition. Now it was reduced to a rump.
But the Blomfield name had been associated with Walcha cricket since at least the
start of the 20th century. Rob was instrumental in getting another turf wicket with
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one phone call to the local council. “If you’re handing out money and workers as
part of the ‘RED scheme’,” Bloomie said, “you might throw a bit our way and
put in a turf wicket.” The letter came through from Shire Clerk Bob Stitt in April
1975 saying council would construct another turf if the association looked after it.
Blomfield’s Colts also contained some Fletchers in David and Warwick who knew
a thing or two about the history of Walcha cricket and its importance to the town,
and Bob Bowden and Dick Wayte, knowing that Glen Morrison and Ingleba had
died, but that cricket shouldn’t.
R.G. Laurie was groomed to take over from father Herb. Rob Laurie had
played with Riamukka and Nowendoc from a young age from the mid-’60s. That
he would play a long innings at club and district level was never in doubt. It’s in his
DNA and reinforced by all the trips with Herbie from a young age. But life wasn’t
meant for him to be a stalwart player only, and he had to add administration to his
bow. He took the battle to the opposition, in this case manpower. Still at a young
age in 1973-74 he was entrusted with the role of resurrecting Walcha cricket,
guiding it both on and off the field. He also had to weigh up a rugby leaguer career
that was heading towards representative honours. The overlapping of the seasons
had already intruded on Walcha cricket, and would continue to do so. But it had
one positive effect that reverberates in Walcha cricket to this day.
The inter-district side R.G. came into while still at school was captained
by Herb and they both played pivotal roles in beating Inverell in the Northern
Tablelands final that enabled the shot at the third War Veterans’ Cup. The interdistrict side of 1969-70 owed its win to the 1950s, but it signalled a changing of
the guard. A very young Denis Wall was included in the team as 12th man for the
War Veterans’ Cup final alongside R.G., Irwin Brazel and Warwick Fletcher. Rob
Blomfield had been part of the inter-district scene for a few seasons having already
won a War Veterans’ Cup with New England while playing for TAS. They were
now the senior players and administrators in Walcha cricket. Luckily there were
some older stagers left with significant cricket pedigrees and memories to lend a
hand. Australian cricket is based on a strong captain with a senior leadership team
to help with decisions and to pass on knowledge.
At the time Wheaton’s applied for and was granted entry into Queensland
Country Week in the early 1960s the team was basically an extension of the
Walcha inter-district brains trust. ‘‘They knew we knew how to play cricket,’’
said Herb Laurie. The senior players in Walcha in the early ’70s knew how to play
cricket, and so did those coming through, because of the strong junior program
that had been implemented in the late 1960s. Revee McCormack, Owen Sweeney,
Archie Natty, Kev Hoy, Graham Croker, Norm Goodwin, John Fleming and other
interested supporters had ensured a whole generation of Walcha kids were wellcoached, well-organised and well-schooled in all things cricket. But there were
few jobs and a lot of those kids left town, never to return. Enough remained to
man the teams, especially when combined with other kids returning home from
boarding school and bank johnnies, chalkies, stock and station agents, police,
itinerant workers, and a few old “hats on sticks” who didn’t want the game to die.
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Cricket limped through three seasons, 1972-73 to 1974-75, as a four-team
comp. Colts won the three of them. Rob Laurie had returned from Farrer to the
strongest inter-district side in the north and north-west, but by 1972-73 he was
president of a four-team competition. The irony was palpable. He had originally
opted for Nowendoc and the Gloucester competition. Now his predicament was
partly Nowendoc-made. The dogs were barking, and 90 years after the first record
of their involvement, and probably 100 years after they started playing against
‘‘Walcha’’ teams, the Nowendoc caravan moved south. The district had provided
three teams close handy just after the War, two from Riamukka and one from
Nowendoc. Riamukka’s ‘‘youth team’’ was disbanded in the early 1950s and
two teams remained until the end of the 1960s. Riamukka and Nowendoc had
provided many of the players of the great inter-district, touring and representative
teams, countless moments of brilliance and countless hours of either enjoyment
or frustration, depending on which team you followed. But Riamukka limped to
1969-70 before folding, and then after losing to Colts in the final of the Walcha
competition in 1972-73, Nowendoc headed south permanently to defend the
Gloucester A-grade premiership they had won in the same season. Maybe the
‘‘red soil boys’’ thought the grass was greener in a two-tiered comp played on
turf. They took with them to Gloucester virtually a full team, including some of
the best to have graced New England cricket grounds.
One Truck didn’t take to the road, and it’s a wonder he doesn’t have stumps
in his mouth he’s gritted his teeth so hard for so long. His battle in the early ’70s
wasn’t on the field, where he would happily take anything served up, but in his
head. Where should he continue his sporting career? The pull to the south and
the coast to continue playing cricket and perhaps rugby league with Gloucester
must have been strong. But his days in school at Farrer made Group 4 a familiar
stamping ground and his younger brother Will had won a Central Northern rugby
premiership in 1971 as a 17-year-old. How good would it be if the rugby league
boys could win Group 4 as well? Rugby league kept Rob Laurie in Walcha. The formation of the Rugby League
Cricket Club for the 1973-74 season was the idea of Willie Makeham to keep the
spirit of the winter code alive with the knowledge that something big was around
the corner, and to replace Nowendoc. Most of Walcha’s top sportsmen have
been more than proficient in one code and it’s been a handy thing over the years.
Respect garnered in one season can lead to assistance with numbers in another.
In Walcha in the 1970s it played out in an odd way. Rob Laurie stayed in
Walcha because of rugby league and was instrumental in ensuring cricket not
only stayed healthy, but actually stayed alive. The best thing Rugby League
Cricket Club did from the start was recruit well. Rob Laurie and Will Makeham
aside, they also picked up Denis Wall and Des Hanna and had enough talent to
start making finals from their second season in 1974-75. Colts had a bit more
experience than any of the teams at the time and in 1974-75 completed a hat-trick
of premierships. Rugby League turned the tables in 1975-76 and three years after
forming picked up their first premiership.
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ALL THE BEST: Combined Country representative and Emu world tourist Rob Blomfield bowling as Northern
Tablelands Colts representative Denis Wall backs up. They were mainstays of Walcha cricket for years.
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Turned the tables in more ways than one actually because the Walcha rugby
league side won the very strong Group 4 in 1975. All that summer camaraderie
was paying off. Joining Rob Laurie in the footy victory were Denis Wall, rugby
recruit Irwin Brazel and professional footballer John Clegg.
Just as Rob followed Herb into resurrecting a comp, so too Warwick Fletcher
was following Andy’s steps in making a significant contribution to Walcha sport.
Warwick was part of the Central North rugby union premiership-winning side in
1971 and by the time the league boys won Group 4 in 1975 he was on rep rugby
union duties. The sons of two of the post-War period’s most prominent players
had shared a War Veterans’ Cup in 1969-70, as had their fathers in 1962-63. So
they were on a high for different reasons than most at the end of the ’60s, but ‘‘it
was gravity that pulled them down and destiny that [almost] broke them apart
...’’ Warwick Fletcher had been selected for Central North as early as 1968, but
started to make his mark from 1970 and at different stages during the decade his
devotion to representative rugby encroached on his cricket time. From 1973 until
1978 he was playing for Combined Country and he made the NSW team in 1974
and 1978, the same year he played for the Barbarians and was in the Wallabies
train-on squad. Nevertheless he was of great assistance in the quest to maintain
the summer code, along with a few others, not the least his cousin Davey.
The Walcha News of March 1974 had coverage of the 1973-74 presentation
night including association president Rob Laurie’s report. He said the highlight of
the season was the commencement of matches on the new turf wicket.
‘‘Although the wicket was rough in the early stages, it did develop into a
reasonable wicket towards the end of the season and should be an asset to cricket
in the future.
‘‘The commencement of Saturday cricket added more interest to the game.
“On the representative side this year, Rob Blomfield made Country Firsts and
Denis Wall represented Northern Tablelands in the Colts carnival at Tamworth.
‘‘Our district teams didn’t do as well as in previous years. However, this was
largely due to the retirement of most of the rep players of previous years.
‘‘As the season progressed it became apparent that there were youngsters with
the ability to take their place, particularly in such players as Stephen Goodwin,
Andrew Cross and Denis Wall, who all showed they have great potential.
‘‘Provided present trends continue, I think Walcha district teams could be
finalists within the next couple of years.
‘‘Looking ahead to the next season, cricket could continue to improve if we
can get two more teams into the comp; also the talent of many of the junior players
such as Peter Natty should help to improve the standard. Overall, the future of
Walcha cricket looks bright.’’
The toast to the Queen was proposed by Irwin Brazel, which must have been
a difficult ask for the avowed supporter of the IRA.
Revee McCormack welcomed the guests, and I’d love to know how long
that speech took, including the president of the Northern Tablelands Cricket
Association and a man entwined with Walcha cricket in so many ways over so
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many years, Mr Walter Taylor. He’d offered Rob’s father Herb that opportunity at
the end of the World War II.
A toast to cricket was proposed by John Fleming. A deserved tribute if ever
there was one. In March, 1974 Walcha played a friendly against Nowendoc and the result
would have backed up Rob Laurie’s optimism displayed in his presentation-night
speech. Nowendoc were bowled out for 50 in their first innings, Andrew Cross
6-9 and Denis Wall 3-14 the destroyers. Rob Laurie, 43 not out, Rob Blomfield
43 and Irwin Brazel 35 helped Walcha compile 4-141 before sending Nowendoc
back in and they ended up on 6-102 in their second dig (Denis Wall 3-18). It was
only a ‘‘friendly’’, but we play it hard around here. It’s interesting to conjecture
on a few things. Nowendoc had left the Walcha comp for the stronger Gloucester
comp on turf on Saturdays. Despite their ages, Neville Holstein and Herb Laurie
playing for Nowendoc still had significant careers in front of them. And it’s not
a bad Nowendoc side with those two and Linsday Margery and George Lyon.
Is R. Green, Ron Green the fast bowler? In the Walcha side, Kev Hoy, Denis
Makeham and Peter Boyd knew the Nowendoc blokes well but the other ‘‘senior’’
Walcha players Rob Laurie, Rob Blomfield, Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall not only
knew them, but had started their senior careers when the best of the Nowendoc
players were at their peak and had been ‘‘nurtured’’ by them to a certain degree in
rep cricket. Maybe they were ‘‘up’’ for the game for that reason. Andrew Cross’s
figures are extraordinary. Yet Walcha’s district side would struggle for a while for
no other reason than there were fewer players.
Walcha had spoken about a youth policy at the start of the 20th century, and
between the Wars the Colts club catered for under-21s. At the end of the 1940s,
association president Dick Croft spoke of wanting an inter-district side with the
oldest player 25. Viv Partridge was in his first year as secretary then and by time
he was president going into the 1960s he again spoke of the youth policy, setting
the association on a deliberate path of including youth in the inter-district sides.
This despite the fact the players in the Second XIs of the time would have walked
into the Firsts in any other era. By the time of Rob Laurie’s president’s speech
at the end of the 1973-74 he too was pinning his faith on youth, but for more
straightening reasons. Fortunately he had “some good cattle” at his disposal.
Dick Macarthur-Onslow’s president’s report of 1971-72 went on at some length
about the turf. But it was laid, and like the coverage on The Park, all of a sudden
the grass was greener. With Nowendoc’s move to Gloucester, Denis Wall was teamless again.
And Duke Boyd was restless. Both must have been listening to Rob Laurie’s
president’s speech. Since commencing his senior career as a 12-year-old in 1960,
Peter Boyd had seen Walcha Road struggle at times, and pull off some memorable
upsets, but they had always there – until 1972. Peter Boyd had been playing
with Round Swamp after Walcha Road folded at the end of the 1971-72 season.
He’d started playing rugby league in the winter months in the mid-1960s under
the great Gordon Brooks and obviously would have been welcomed to the new
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Rugby League cricket team when it formed for 1973-74. Not that Swamp would
have wanted him or cousin “Kanga” to leave. But the Boyds play it hard. Peter
rebuilt Walcha Road Cricket Club. A few old Peel Valley campaigners came out
of the woodwork, Paddles Chandler “went across town” from Round Swamp,
Rural Bank inswinger Max Hartley swung in among others. Duke didn’t so much
recruit a team of stars as mould a team of winners. Walcha Road were back in for
the 1975-76 season and went on to win three years in a row, 1976-77, 1977-78 and
1978-79. A remarkable effort.
Denis Wall had started his career with Ingleba. ‘‘It folded when Lance died,’’
was his succinct summation, but there’s a whole lot of meaning in that one
utterance. He then joined Commercial, and they folded. He then joined Nowendoc
and they were off. There’s a bit of a pattern here! He then joined Rugby League.
The strength of Walcha cricket had been the strength of the communities
in the district and their nurturing of youngsters into the senior ranks. Players
became hardened pretty quick. Denis Wall was one of the last of that era, and one
of the first of the new era of ‘‘schoolboy’’ cricketers. His pedigree suggested he
was always going to be something special, but he turned out better than that. His
debut in senior cricket was fairly extensively reported in the Walcha News as was
his inter-district debut. The town knew they had a good’un. He was also one of
the new generation who took advantage of a full secondary education at Walcha
Central School. And the school itself was playing more regularly, most notably
in the Northern Daily Leader Shield. For the 1976-77 season Denis formed his
own club to “give a go to a few kids who can’t get a regular game”. But he did
more than give a few kids a go. Just as Rugby League had done a few seasons
beforehand, he made sure his team was strong from the start. Memorial Club
entered the comp three seasons after Rob Laurie’s inaugural president’s speech
meaning Truck had his two extra teams for a six-team comp. Matches started
to be played over two weekends and a system similar to that of the 1950s was
introduced with bonus points on offer for second-innings wickets and runs. There
was something to play for in every moment of the game. Walcha cricket was back.
Kieran “Jockey” Byrne offered Denis Wall sponsorship from the Memorial
Club, perhaps because he knew the importance of having a strong team. In fact, the
“Rissole” has an interesting connection to cricket. Owen Sweeney recalls taking
Jockey to Riamukka once and the Holstein boys let loose. The sixes they were
hitting were so big that Jockey could only return the ball back to the boundary
fence before a relay thrower tossed it the rest of the way back to the bowler. Slightly
peeved at the work he was doing Jockey stationed himself 30 yards beyond the
boundary to save himself the chase. Former RSL Club secretary-manager Frank
Brazel also kept a wonderful selection of old newspapers clippings that have been
used extensively in this book.
Chris “Pommy” Cross was very young when recruited by Denis for the Club
team, but potentially his best. Fortunately he came back to Rugby Union. From
the Rugby Union team of the early 1970s, Denis also nabbed Doug Jamieson,
Peter Natty, Gary Natty, Andrew Cross and Simeon Cross. Add to that Billy
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Laurie and Garth Clare and later Irwin Brazel and you’re looking at a handy team.
If you were in the school playground organising a pick-up game and had first pick,
any one of that lot would do. In a wonderful connection of past and future, Denis
was later able to entice Roy Chandler and Herb Laurie, who were both playing in
1947, to join Mark Peters, who started in about 1977.
Peter Natty wasn’t quite as young as Denis Wall when he played his first
J.S. White Colts Carnival, but as an 18-year-old he treated the end of the day
in the same fashion. He dispatched the last delivery into the famous old stand
at Tamworth’s No.1 Oval. Apparently the Northern Tablelands hierarchy didn’t
take too kindly to it, but he was back again the next year. Peter’s first taste of
senior cricket was for Woolbrook in the Peel Valley competition before he was a
teenager, but he graduated to the Rugby Union team in the Walcha competition
as a 14-year-old and later helped Denis Wall establish the Memorial Club side.
Peter’s memory of the clashes with New England and his representative teammate Rick Porter at the New Common, and of one clash in particular, are of
taking a few wickets. He must have picked up a few leg-befores. No wonder Rob
Laurie alluded to him in his president’s speech for 1973-74. As a youngster Peter
held up an end for ages while Rob compiled the winning runs in a match against
Gloucester.
“I remember we were in a lot strife and I batted for a bloody long time for 10
runs and Truck got plenty and we won. I was probably 14 or 15,’’ Peter recalls. But he was used to the pressure. As the youngest member of the Walcha
Central School team he top-scored from first drop with 65 against Barraba at
The Park in the 1971 Northern Daily Leader Shield final. He too was introduced
to the Wheaton’s set-up from a young age and played in Brisbane Country Week
three or four times and the Moree carnival. Not surprisingly he remembers Eric
Higgins being in the side. As a tribute, Peter was selected in Walcha’s 125th
anniversary side.
In April, 1975 association secretary Rob Blomfield received a letter from shire
clerk Bob Stitt advising that Council “resolved to construct a turf wicket at the
John Oxley Sportsground”. “The turf wicket will be constructed on the condition that your Association
accepts full responsibility for future maintenance.
“Upon receipt of your written confirmation to this effect, the work will be
put in hand.”
One season on from a four-team comp and all of a sudden the association is
preparing for a second turf wicket. The baby boomers knew how to cash in on
green grass. More power to them.
By 1976-77 Duke was playing it hard with Road, Denis was reaching his peak
with Memorial, Truck was gritting his teeth with League, Kevvie seemed to the
think it was still the ’60s at Round Swamp, and Bloomie played as if Colts were
on the SCG. Most of Rugby Union had “gone over the Wall” and the revamped
new-breed were all thoughtful, well-mannered, skilful good sports.
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It was a smart move by Denis Wall to co-opt some of the Rugby Union
cricket players to the ‘‘Rissole’’. After all, they’d had some finals “experience”,
unfortunately against the man always in “full bloom” at the end-of-season
games. At the 1949 WDCA meeting that decided on two-zones to accommodate
the number of teams, 40 delegates were in attendance. The decision took into
account the “rural” nature of the competition, as Commercial and Colts were
the only “town” teams. By the 1972-73 season, 110 years after cricket officially
started in the town, the competition had slumped to four teams, Colts, Nowendoc,
Round Swamp and the five-year old Rugby Union. Revee McCormack and John
Fleming knew the importance of cricket to the town and particularly the youth of
the town. When Rugby Union formed a cricket team to compete in the comp in
1968 it was made up basically of blokes who were playing that code in the winter.
But it quickly became ostensibly a Walcha Central School team with a couple of
older blokes like Revee and Warren Bailey running the show. Many of Walcha’s
cricketers and some of its best were introduced full-time to senior cricket through
the Rugby Union cricket team. What a mighty effort it was for Rugby Union in
1972-73, then in only their fourth season, to beat the symbol of Walcha cricket
strength and eventual premiers, Nowendoc, who were playing in the Gloucester
competition on Saturdays and Walcha on Sundays. Then, for Rugby Union in their
fifth season to reach a final like they did in 1973-74 when Rob Blomfield again
destroyed another team’s chances of winning a title, was quite an achievement
for the young side. Better in many respects than TAS and De La Salle playing
competitively in the Armidale comp because those schools would have had a lot
more players to choose from as well as excellent practice wickets, equipment and
coaching. In a sense Union became what Colts were before the War. In the 1973-74 season the Turton Cup was won jointly by Colts and Round
Swamp; the consolation knockout by Rugby League and the Yalgoo Shield for
minor premiers by Round Swamp. Colts came from fourth spot to win the News
Cup, still under the system where both semi-finals were elimination matches.
Rob Blomfield’s 195 in the final is the second-highest recorded in the Walcha
competition. Colts took out the major premiership by beating the young Rugby
Union team. Rob had come from playing in the Armidale comp with TAS Firsts,
as had Irwin Brazel with De La Salle Firsts. Colts won the final by an innings
and 114 runs after knocking up 347. Blomfield accelerated after reaching his ton
and would have notched up a double-ton bar for a fine catch by Simeon Cross.
The ball was headed for six and Blomfield for 201 before the interception. Reg
King’s 214 survived. Dick Macarthur-Onslow took 6-69 and Blomfield backed
up his big ton with 4-22 as Rugby Union were dismissed for 141. Veteran Revee
McCormack opened and knocked up 39 and Andrew Cross came in at first drop
and hit 30. Rugby Union were then dismissed for 112 in their second dig, Revee
completing as nice double with 44. Bob Bowden claimed 6-13. From that Union
side, Andrew Cross, Peter Natty, Gary Natty and Simeon Cross all went on to play
inter-district cricket, Doug Jamieson had already done so. The old favourite Dick
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Wayte was in the Colts XI. Blomfield played for Country Firsts at this time – from
a four-team comp.
It was a rebuilding period at all levels, not the least inter-district, where
inconsistency became a problem. A Walcha side containing Warwick Fletcher,
Kev Hoy and John Clegg had an easy win over Glen Innes including Tony
Corcoran. Glen were rolled for 98 with Blomfield taking every wicket that fell,
8-35 off 12 overs, and he ran out opener M. Donnelly (Glen only batting 10 men).
Bloomie backed up with 72 not out as Walcha finished on 4-110. In an interdistrict match in February 1974, New England were skittled for 111, which must
have given Walcha some hope. Rob Blomfield picked up 6-28 and Denis Wall 3-17.
But Walcha were then rolled for 47, Blomfield top-scoring with 17. Armidale’s J
Raison took 4-0.
It was an English adage from the 19th century that every school had a tennis
court and every church had a level piece of ground nearby where cricket was played
after the service. This extended to the colonies and apart from the proliferation
of church comps and teams, explains cricket’s role in reinforcing the importance
of community. As the sign on one church door in England said: “Them as don’t
attend Service shan’t play cricket!” This became an issue in Walcha by the 1970s.
Not the non-attendance at church rule, but the staging of games on Sundays. The
great, and now controversial, rugby league coach Jack Gibson thought winning
started in the front office at 9 o’clock on Monday morning. That is, get the
administration right and on-field success is a byproduct. Having been part of the
9 o’clock scene off the field, the senior players of Walcha cricket were then left
with an inexperienced inter-district side on the field.
For the first time since the War, Walcha had to alter their on-field tactics. Gone
were the days of all-rounders batting to no.10. It wasn’t as if talent was lacking, but
the lack of competition in the local competition diluted district competitiveness.
Rob Laurie was not only district president, he was district captain and central to
his on-field plans were Rob Blomfield and Stephen Goodwin.
“We used to get a bashing all the time in inter-district cricket when I came in,”
said Normie. “For a long time. Who do we play this week? Who’s going to give us
a bashing? We had blokes that were trying, we just weren’t competitive enough.
There weren’t enough teams in the comp to enable a high standard. Truck did a
good job at that stage. I’ve never had a lot to do with the organisation of senior
cricket. The blokes that have, have done well to keep it going.” To counter the lack of depth, Rob Laurie redefined the approach to interdistrict cricket. Walcha would “field its way to success” until the new generation
of world-beaters were doing just that. No Northern Tablelands title was claimed
under his stewardship, but slowly and surely Walcha became competitive again
and by the end of the 1980s and into the ’90s made three Mulligan Shield finals
in succession. When Rob Laurie embarked on his new approach the other “senior
players” were Rob Blomfield, Rob Laurie, Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall and Stephen
Goodwin. Time, gentleman please doesn’t only relate to pubs and the fact
“Normie” was too young to enter one. The Walcha sides in the strong eras were so
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well balanced they could formulate plans for either timed games, and then later,
limited-over games. If a game was a three-hour split, and Walcha won the toss,
Herbie, for example would try to bat at least until lunch. This is where partnership
batting and team balance became important. Runs could be accumulated without
taking too many risks or the bat at the other end could “have a go”. When the
chase was on in the last hour Herb had to hit out as well, but with wickets in hand,
the options were good. Peter Fenwicke, when captain, would tell Herb “I don’t
want to see you till I’ve read the funnies”, meaning the comics in the Sunday
papers, which were in the back half. Neville Holstein could bat to any scenario,
but always scored at a clip and the rest of team were all-rounders. Similarly, a run
chase could be calculated or the attack used to strangle the opposition or try to
bowl them out. The tactics are a bit more complex than a straight 50-over game.
When Robbie Laurie took over as president and captain he didn’t have the
players at his disposal that his dad had played with so he adopted a different
strategy. Basically he and Rob Blomfield had to get runs and anybody else who
contributed was a bonus – Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall, Peter Boyd, Doug Jamieson,
Peter Natty for instance. He then used Stephen Goodwin to tie up one end for
most of the innings, and Denis Wall, and relied on Blomfield to do the same and/
or take wickets at the other. Again, anyone else brought into the attack who took
wickets was bonus. The team was made up of “young fielders”. This changed a bit
as better players came to his disposal, like Jock McPherson, Lee Fletcher, Mark
Peters and Mark Schuhkraft. Rob Blomfield’s class was forged in another era and
another comp, but he maintained his standards in a weakened environment. One
half of Walcha’s tactics worked in the match described above, with New England
restricted to 111. Walcha was often let down in the rebuilding era because of its
batting.
Truck’s inter-district tactics started to fall into place by the late ’70s. In an
inter-district game against Inverell, Walcha won by 75 runs (Rob Blomfield 79,
Peter Natty 66, Steve Goodwin 25 not out 25, Dac Croker 24). Blomfield then
took 6-31. Take out Blomfield, Irwin Brazel, Rob Laurie and to a lesser extent Bill
Laurie, themselves only in their mid-20s, and it’s a very young team. Yours truly
was the youngest, but Normie, who had been playing district for a couple of years,
Gary Natty and Lee Fletcher were all in their teens, as were probably Peter Natty
and Andrew Cross. Rob Laurie’s plan that the senior players would score the bulk
of the runs and take the bulk of the wickets and tight bowling and the youngsters’
fielding would squeeze the life out of other sides was working. Anything else the
young ’uns contributed was a bonus. The ease of the win looks surprising now,
but it probably wouldn’t have at the time.
It’s interesting to look at the team make-up. Rob and Billy Laurie (Riamukka/
Nowendoc), Rob Blomfield and Lee Fletcher (Colts, Emu Creek, Winterbourne),
Irwin Brazel and Doug Jamieson (Ingleba), Peter and Gary Natty (Woolbrook/
Walcha Road), Stephen Goodwin (Round Swamp) and me (Commercial) take
us back more than 100 years through family connections to the day when the
little communities had their own teams. But by the time this match was played
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the competition was well and truly centred on Walcha. Rob Laurie and Doug
Jamieson played most of their cricket with Rugby League, Irwin Brazel with
Colts and Memorial/Bowling Club, Peter Natty, Gary Natty and Billy Laurie with
Memorial Club/Bowling Club. The Nattys, Andrew Cross and me all received
starts with Rugby Union and seven of the 11 all lived in town. Gary Natty was
brought into the district team under the “field ’em out of the game” strategy and
went on to win premierships. Like a good bowler, he was always there or there
abouts. Like a good bat, he never let the team down. The Inverell side contained
a Finney and two McCoskers, also a great connection to the past. Rob Blomfield
had played for Country and Rob Laurie, Denis Wall, Peter Natty and Stephen
Goodwin for Northern Tablelands Colts, so it wasn’t a bad side. One of the
advantages the district had up until the late ’60s was that very few people left.
Those who had gone away to school came back and most of those who had grown
up in the area stayed. Throw in some schoolteachers, bankers, stock and station
agents and seachangers and you’re likely to have a strong comp and district side.
It’s reasonable to assume that if all the talent that left Walcha for employment,
career or economic reasons from the late ‘60s on had stayed, the standard would
have remained fairly high. In that team that won against Inverell, Truck and
Billy Laurie and Bloomie and Lethal Lee Fletcher were the only non-townies. In
a game against Guyra at Walcha, the visitors were cleaned up for 136 (Steve
Goodwin 2-36, Rob Blomfield 2-21, Jock McPherson 3-31, Denis Wall 3-30) and
then Walcha knocked up 5-174 of which Bloomie hit 94 including eight fours and
three mighty sixes. The Walcha side contained: bank manager Ian Beza, famous
for, as he called it “the old Beza poke” as well as losing vital Walcha cricket
history during his one year as secretary in 1978-79; and a young and talented
Michael Riley. The players at Truck and Bloomie’s disposal weren’t that bad. On
paper, Walcha could put a respectable team on the paddock and the wins started
coming before long. Senior players of the era now look back on it as a dark time
in district cricket – “we took some hidings” – but in retrospect, the team also
had some good wins. Blomfield was a genuine match-winner and maintained his
standards at all levels. In a club match just after Rugby League entered the comp
he took 7-7. Colts had only made 72, Blomfield top-scoring with 19 before being
run out. Rob Laurie took 6-13 and Denis Wall 2-26. But Blomfield cleaned up
League, who were rolled for 45.
Truck won the 1973-74 batting average with 31.8 with an aggregate of 318
while Stephen “Normie” Goodwin took out the open and under-21 bowling
average with 25 wickets at 7.04. I’m guessing he was 14 years old, 15 at most. The
under-21 batting was won by Geoff Cotterill with 25.55. Denis Wall captured the
most wickets, 40, and Irwin Brazel took the most catches, 11. It’s a testament to
all the senior figures of the time that they stayed and played. Obviously Bloomie
could have continued his career in Armidale and others could have joined him.
Rob Laurie could have played in Gloucester or Tamworth and taken players with
him.
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We play it hard around here. In the 1974-75 final Irwin Brazel lived up to
his adage when he almost single-handedly denied Rugby League a premiership.
The game was never dull whenever “Irwie” was involved, not the least because
on his day he was one of the classiest cricketers around. One of the few players
who could drive on the rise, his elegance is best described by Rob Laurie: “That
Irwin Brazel always had a lot of time.” There’s a whole lot in that statement.
Rob Blomfield had hit 195 in the 1973-74 final when Rugby Union were on the
receiving end. Colts were back at it again in 1974-75, this time against Rugby
League. The competition new boys opened up the grand final with a first-innings
185, Rob Laurie top-scoring with 58, Kelvin Avery, 35. Bob Bowden was the chief
destroyer, taking 6-49 and Irwin Brazel claimed 3-34. Colts only managed 124,
Nowendoc refugee Don Margery hitting 36, while Denis Wall claimed 5-53 and
Des Hanna 3-37. Rugby League scored 209 in their second innings, Ray “Kanga”
Boyd walloping 97 not out, unlucky not to get his maiden ton in a final. Kelvin
Avery again contributed 35. Bob Bowden took another six-for, 6-75. This left Colts
271 for victory, a big ask in a final, but they went to stumps at 2-111, with Irwin
Brazel, opening, 63 not out. He carried on the next day to 173 not out and Colts
achieved their total with five wickets down. Colts had made it three in a row and
then the 1975-76 season started with five teams with the addition of Walcha Road.
All the teams were fairly strong, maybe not as strong as when the comp was at
its best in periods of the 1930s, 1950s and 1960s, but certainly any one of the six
teams on their day would have held their own in most periods of Walcha cricket.
Rob Blomfield was only two years on from playing for Country, and he didn’t
ever let his standards slip, nor that of Colts. Although he was playing for Rugby
League, Rob Laurie was a Nowendoc boy at heart and there’s a nice irony in that
Nowendoc’s fiercest rivals for about 100 years at that stage were also assisting
in the revival of Walcha cricket. His family’s greatest rival became his greatest
strength. The Hoys and Round Swamp and its other associated families. Kev was
still at the helm. He’d won comps, taken wickets and scored runs against the best
of them. Round Swamp’s organisation has been as invaluable to Walcha cricket as
it has been to the club’s success. Alick Bird was keen to join them before World
War II because Swamp are never not in a contest. Duke Boyd ensured Walcha
Road would play it hard to the end of every contest.
But the lack of depth and its effect on the standard played out every now and
then. In a low-scoring semi-final in the mid-’70s Colts defeated Round Swamp.
Colts made 58, Bill Fletcher 17 not out and Mark “Chud” Newman, 11, the only
bats to make double figures. Steve Goodwin 6-13 and Denis Chandler 3-15 were
the destroyers. But Swamp were rolled for 39, Kev Hoy 17 and Normie 11 the
only two reaching double figures and strangely enough the same as Colts’ top
scores. Colts were all out for 77 in their second dig, Rob Blomfield 27 and Irwin
Brazel 18 getting the bulk. Normie took 4-42 and R. Simpkin 4-21. Swamp were
then cleaned up for 47, Blomfield 4-18 and Bob Bowden 3-13 doing the damage.
Notably Garth Clare was still playing for Swamp.
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Reports were carried of the October 1975 Turton Cup matches between Rugby
Union and Colts, and Round Swamp and Rugby League. Peter Boyd’s re-formed
Road had the bye. In any case Doug Jamieson with 35 and Chris “Pommy”
Cross, the youngest player in the Union line-up, with 26 helped them to 113 (Rob
Blomfield 3-22, Irwin Brazel 3-12). It was too many for a very strong Colts lineup, Peter Natty taking 4-30 and Richard Roland 3-10 rolling them for 81. Round
Swamp, 148, were far too good for League and a solid batting card was headed
by Denis Chandler at the top of the order with 31. The very swift Terry Hay took
5-28. League only made 69 (Denis Makeham 26) thanks to Stephen “Normie”
Goodwin’s 5-28. It’s noticeable in these boards that the young and younger town
players are making their mark. The Rugby Union side contained Peter and Gary
Natty, Simeon and Pommy Cross, Doug Jamieson, Greg Partridge and yours
truly. Dale Brazel was playing for Colts and Normie and Garth Clare for Swamp.
But the old names abound, two Chandlers (Maurice and Denis) and a Hoy (Kev)
for Swamp and a Blomfield a Fletcher, two Brazels, a Laurie (Bill), a Margery
(Don) and a Bowden for Colts.
Rugby League had only joined in 1973-74, but for the 1975-76 season the
Walcha News headline read ‘‘Rugby League win top premiership honours’’.
League won the premiership after beating Colts by a mere 10 runs in an exciting
final. League made 101 in their first dig and Colts replied with 45. League made
63 in their second dig. Rob Blomfield nearly saved the day for Colts hitting 60
in the second innings before they fell just short. Terry Hay did the damage for
League, 6-23 in the first innings and 7-45 in the second. He was slippery at the
best of times and wound up like a rubber band for the final. In the 318 runs scored
in the match only 11 fours were hit due to the condition of the ground, which had
not been mown. Nothing like reliving the glory days of cricket at Round Swamp.
One new player did well about this time too. Rugby League’s John Clegg
took out the batting average for 1975-76, compiling 222 runs from eight innings
at 31.57. Normie was second in the batting averages and fifth in the bowling in
the same season with far and away the most wickets, 41. Rob Blomfield won the
bowling average, 25 wickets at 6.00 closely followed by Rob Laurie’s 18 wickets
at 6.11. Peter Boyd had the aggregate, 224 runs and most catches, 11 while Peter
Natty won the under-21 bowling and Norm the under-21 batting.
In 1976-77, with the addition of Memorial Club, six teams also had a flowon effect to the district side, which started to become competitive once again.
Memorial Club was soon to have the wonderful convergence of the old and new
when Roy Chandler joined them and he transported a young Mark Peters to
games, the once-in-a-generation leggie and the soon-to-be once-in-a-generation
aggressive technician. The other factor in improving the game was the staging
of matches over two weekends with incentive points. Peter Boyd knew a little bit
about incentive and cricket history and victory was sweet for him and his band
of cricket refugees when they started winning titles. Duke had been organising
all his life and players were happy to “hit the Road” from “superstar” teams.
After returning to the competition in 1975-76 Peter Boyd quickly developed a
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team capable of winning comps. In late January 1977, Walcha Road outrighted
Round Swamp. Duke took 8-22 in Swamp’s first-innings total of 73 and then
knocked up 73 in Road’s 3(dec)-140. He then took 3-13 in Swamp’s second dig of
47. In other games from that round, Memorial Club defeated Colts by four runs
despite Rob Blomfield’s 121. Memorial made 199 (Gary Natty 50, Bill Laurie 44,
Denis Wall 38). Blomfield hit 15 fours and four sixes in his 121 in Colts’ 195. The
Memorial Club side also contained Peter Natty, Doug Jamieson, Garth Clare,
Andrew Cross and Simeon Cross. Herb Laurie opened for Rugby Union in their
win over a Rugby League side with Max Holstein (that’s a connection going back
30 years) and Wayne Tolmie.
Max later changed to Colts and notched up 71 in a big win over Memorial
in a game in which Roy Chandler (Memorial) and Eric Stier (Colts) were on the
comeback trail. Leggie heaven and all big names from the mid-’50s.
Walcha Road had waited 20 years for a title and had gone into recession at
one stage, but they made the 1976-77 grand final against Colts, and won it. Colts
led the Road by 42 runs after the first day for the major premiership and Walcha
News Cup on the Sunday. Walcha Road batted first scoring, 72 (Rob Blomfield
5-29, Jock McPherson 3-5) and Colts replied with 123 (Blomfield 19). Walcha
Road’s attack was led by Terry Hay (2-16) and Paddles Chandler (2-17) while
Duke (2-23), inswinging Rural Banker Max Hartley (3-28) and Tony Lollback (115) provided back-up. In the second innings Road made 196. Colts hadn’t factored
in Max and Mr Hartley opened and carried his bat for 100 not out and Jack Davis
supported with 27. Bloomie picked up 3-64 and Michael Riley 3-22 and then
Colts were rolled for 128, 17 short, the finals king Blomfield top-scoring with 46
ONE TRUCK DIDN’T LEAVE TOWN: R.G. Laurie gritting the teeth.
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and Jock McPherson hitting 35. Duke took 4-6, Terry Hay 2-18 and Max Hartley
in a good double 2-20.
Matches from January, 1977 showed the form displayed in the club cricket on
the Saturday was a pointer to how the district side would perform on the Sunday.
Colts dismissed Walcha Road for 100 (Brian Hoad 25; Bob Bowden 4-30, Jock
McPherson 3-15) and then knocked up 4-220 (Rob Blomfield 72, Irwin Brazel
63). Round Swamp were dismissed by Rugby League for 94, the evergreen Max
Holstein taking 2-16, Bob Potter 2-31, Mark Lollback 3-17 and Allan Hahn 3-21.
Rugby League knocked up 111 to win (Denis Makeham 41, Max Holstein 24) but
the talking point was Stephen Goodwin’s 6-45. Rugby Union caused an upset
when they defeated equal leaders Memorial Club. Chris Cross, 55, continued his
great form and provided almost half of Memorial’s 116. Andrew McCormack
took 4-30. Union replied with 6-118 of which Richard Roland remained 48 not
out. In the inter-district game played on the Sunday, Normie Goodwin continued
where he’d left off in club cricket to put the cleaners through Guyra after Walcha
were dismissed for 102 (Irwin Brazel 31, Gary Natty 22, Doug Jamieson 22, Rob
Blomfield 16). Goodwin took 8-24, and Andrew Cross 2-27 and Guyra were all
out for 55. In a semi-final from this era, Colts made it into the grand final against Walcha
Road after proving too strong for Memorial Club. Memorial made 66 and 102,
Colts replied with 164 and 0-7. Rob Blomfield was outstanding again, 59 and 6-52
(match figures) along with evergreen Bob Bowden 8-74 (match figures). Garth
Clare with 19 not out was best for Memorial in the first dig, where Blomfield
took 3-17, Bob Bowden 3-32 and Irwin Brazel 2-10. Blomfield then scored 59.
Memorial scored 102 second-time around, Bill Laurie tops with 36; Bob Bowden
5-42, Blomfield 3-35. On December 5, 1977, Round Swamp secretary Bruce Barnes wrote to the
WDCA.
“I have been requested by the members of this club to place before the WDCA
Protest Committee a matter concerning rule infringement which occurred during
the Round Swamp/Rugby Union match played on 26/11/77 and 3/12/77.
“The infringement occurred during the Round Swamp second innings. A
player for Rugby Union, who was not nominated in the scorebook as a member of
the team for that match, and thus must be regarded as a substitute player, bowled
two overs. During the course of those two overs he took two wickets. The player
in question is J. Lynch.
“The two wickets taken by Mr Lynch had no bearing on the eventual outcome
of the game. Our protest then has two aspects:
“1. In the second innings Round Swamp lost a total of three wickets entitling
Rugby Union to one bonus point for bowling. As two of the wickets taken were by
a substitute bowler, we do not think Rugby Union is entitled to the bonus point.
“2. If we were to refrain from entering a protest regarding this matter it could
well set a precedent for other teams in future games. We believe that games
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should be played according to the rules and that teams should incur penalties for
contravention of this rules. “We trust that you will give this matter your serious consideration.”
The protest committee of A.C. Fletcher, O.P. Sweeney and E. Hogan met on
December 6, the day after the letter was sent, and unanimously upheld the protest,
agreeing that the “rules of the competition must be adhered to”.
It was an interesting decision. It was only probably a season before this that it
was decided to start playing matches over two Saturdays and introduce a bonuspoint system for the second innings; one point for every three wickets and one
point for every 25 runs (from memory). The idea was to encourage attacking
cricket and the pursuit of outrights, but at every stage there was something for
both teams to play for. When the decision was made there was some consternation
about the two-week matches because player numbers were still dicey and captains
knew they might have trouble guaranteeing the exact same 11 players each week.
Every team was affected, for example, a bloke might be “on call” on alternate
weekends or have work on some Saturdays. The general agreement among the
delegates and captains when it was introduced was that it would definitely be
better for the standard of cricket. Batsmen could dig in, and captains knew every
game was going to be a two-innings affair and therefore points were always on
offer. The consensus was leeway would be given on the actual 11 players, so
that if one bloke could play one week and not the next a substitute could come in
to ensure a fair contest. There was little likelihood the system would be abused
because there was only a certain player pool and everyone knew which payers
were available for what club. John Lynch was a very good bowler, but he’d been
living in Walcha for about five years and had just finished secondary school. The
only senior cricket he’d played was with the “young” Rugby Union team. He was
no ring-in from Sydney or even Armidale or Tamworth.
Just as Round Swamp had “ended the debate” over Tony Hoy’s mankading of
Andrew Laurie in 1961 by saying people might not like it, but it was in the rules,
so the protest committee “ended the debate” in 1977 by upholding the complaint.
In 1961 the then patron Cec Macdonald intimated the mankading wasn’t really
in the spirit of the game. Given that the 1977-78 season was only three on from
a four-season comp, and that the two-week matches had already started to pay
dividends in terms of standards of play, the same might be concluded in relation
to Swamp’s protest. As an aside, Rugby Union laughed off the situation the
season before when Round Swamp’s representative opening bowler snatched a
very scuffed-up ball at stumps on day one and lacquered and buffed it for a week
before returning the next Saturday to skittle the young batsmen who had been on
top the first Saturday. Different mindset I guess.
You have to learn to play it hard.
Also about this time, Ray “Kanga” Boyd, who had played some swashbuckling
innings without reaching three figures, finally cracked a ton. It was 106 not out on
the same day Duke scored 103, in the second innings of Walcha Road’s outright
over Round Swamp. Duke showed his all-round ability by snaring 4-5. On the
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same day Colts ended up beating Memorial Club outright, the indefatigable Bob
Bowden taking 5-44 and Jock McPherson 3-15 with Denis Wall, 86, offering
resistance. The young Rugby Union side skittled Rugby League. Scores were
close after the first innings: Union 110 to League’s 103. Pommy Cross, no longer
with Memorial and back with Rugby went through League in the second dig
taking 5-7 and they were rolled for 34. Cross remained not out 18 as Union won
easily.
“Second century to Cross” was the headline from this time and it referred to
schoolboy “Pommy” again and his second ton of the season, 121 out of Rugby
Union’s total of 212. In reply Colts were 1-102 with Blomfield 53 not out. Chris
was in the tradition of the true all-rounders, certainly Rob Blomfield rated him
highly, describing Pommy as “an amazing junior”. Maybe he saw something of
himself in the right-arm medium and left-hand batting.
In 1978-79 Walcha Road were minor premiers for the third year in succession
and “on the road” to a hat-trick of premierships. The table finished up Walcha
Road 82, Colts 68, Rugby Union 66, Rugby League 61, Round Swamp 57 and
Memorial Club 37. Ray Boyd averaged 59.2 for the year and Peter Boyd 44.1 with
a top score of 118 not out while evergreen Jack Davis was still in tow. Peter Boyd
also took 35 wickets for the year and Greg Carter 29. Memorial Club’s star was
fading after the initial recruiting drive, but they bounced back.
An interesting match was played out in the 1979-80 season. Rugby League
scored 128 against Memorial Club thanks to Garth Clare’s 52 and Willie
Makeham’s 38. Gary Natty opened the bowling for Memorial and took 5-35 off 14
overs. Denis Wall took 3-53 off 15 overs and was then devastating with evergreen
and fellow opener Herb Laurie. Herb retired on 38 but Denis Wall went on the
rampage, scoring 151 including 118 in boundaries. At one stage late in the innings
he hit eight consecutive boundaries including four fours and two sixes from one
Des Hanna over. Andrew Cross still returned the figures of 6-76 off 16.1 overs.
Des Hanna is remembered as a great contributor to Walcha sport, but Denis, his
“rugby league team-mate” (in the winter months) showed no mercy and Des went
for 69 off eight overs. Memorial made 6-242 and had a lead of 114. Colts declared
at 6-233 (Rob Blomfield 101 including 15 fours, Jamie Sweeney 66; Dac Croker
4-42) and had Union in trouble at 4-40.
In the preliminary final in 1979-80 Rob Laurie again challenged Blomfield’s
mantel as the big-match player. Truck scored 191 (the competition’s third-highest
score), Andrew Cross 62 and Peter Baker 35 in League’s massive 342 on a good
Park wicket. Pommy Cross took 7-52 off 27 overs, which might have affected
his batting because he was Union’s main hope of getting the runs. Cousin Coog
bowled him for a duck and ended up taking 6-30. John Toshack and Dac Croker
both scored 56 for Rugby in their 189.
So Rugby League and Colts played out the 1979-80 final with Colts 144 runs
ahead with four second-innings in hand when rain stopped play. Colts hit up 123
in their first innings (Dale Brazel 39, Lee Fletcher 34; Andrew Cross 5-41, Garth
Clare 2-14). In reply League only totalled 115 (Doug Jamieson 33; Bob Bowden
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4-52, Jock McPherson 4-23). Colts were 6-136 in second dig (Irwin Brazel 42, Lee
Fletcher 38; Doug Jamieson 3-23) before the rain, and went on to tally 174 (Irwin
Brazel 42; Doug Jamieson 5-44). Rugby League were bundled out for 110. So
Colts were the major premiers for the 1979-80 after Rugby Union had claimed the
Yalgoo Shield with 88 points. The Turton Cup was won by Round Swamp. Man
of the match awards were decided by captains awarding points on a 3-2-1 basis
over the course of the season. It’s surprising how many times it has been won by a
player from a non-premiership-winning team, which proves the old adage about a
champion team. Man of the match: Andrew Cross (11 points); batting aggregate:
Lee Fletcher (467); batting average: Lee Fletcher (51.88); bowling aggregate:
Andrew Cross (41); bowling average: Dac Croker (6.55); under-21 batting: Chris
Cross (36.81); under-21 bowling: Dac Croker (6.55); over-35 batting: John Toshack
(44.5); over-35 bowling: Rob Blomfield (9.81). Most catches: Denis Makeham (15).
I refuse to believe Rob Blomfield was “over-35” in 1979-80. He would’ve been
lucky to have been over 30. Bloody Colts. It’s not mentioned in any of the records
or reports, but Fred Roper made a comeback in mid-’70s, not as a cricketer, but a
helper. He umpired and more often than not officiated in games involving Rugby
Union, I think at his own request. I’ve often wondered if the young Rugby Union
cricket sides of the 1970s reminded him of the under-21 Colts of the pre-War year.
He was fair and gracious as an ump, and just a great bloke to have on the field.
Administration obviously sat well with Lee Fletcher. The more responsibility
he took on for Colts and Walcha the more runs he scored for his club and the
district side. His brother Davey had contributed mightily to cricket, for Colts,
Walcha District and as a Northern Tablelands delegate. It ran in his family and
the efforts of his father and uncles are legendary. As Alick Bird once observed: “I
hate playing Colts. There’s the old fox Don trying to run everything, Andy behind
the sticks offering you no let-up and bloody Jimmy up the other end firing darts.” The 1970s and early 1980s were nothing less than a Blomfield bonanza and
they were about to become Turbo-charged. The batsmanship of Bloomie and the
Blaster (Master Blaster Mark) overlapped. In an interview with Robert Blomfield
it was noticeable that not only did he pay homage to the great players of the 1950s
and ’60 with whom he overlapped, but also the younger players that came through
as his career moved into its twilight. He was certainly taken by Mark Peters. Drought threatened again and the 1980-81 season was off to a boundaryridden start due to the rock-hard condition of the grounds. Swamp were too
strong for Road in the 40-over Turton Cup opener to the season Paul Hoy hit 62
in Swamp’s 6-202 (Peter Osmond 39) and Road were 8-160 at the close (Brian
Wellings 40, Peter Hayes 33; Andrew Bonser 3-43). ) In the first round of the
competition proper Rugby Union got off to a good start and defeated Memorial
Club by an innings thanks to Jeff Chandler and Greg Partridge taking 14 wickets
between them and John Toshack scoring a racy 69 not out. Round Swamp
probably caused something of an upset in defeating Colts with Stephen Goodwin
returning to the competition after a stint in Tamworth taking 5-10. Colts only
made 60 and Swamp had three retire in their 194. Walcha Road folded under the
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persistent pressure of Andrew Cross, 6-8, and Doug Jamieson, 4-10, and recorded
one of their lowest scores in many seasons. The highlight was League skipper
Rob Laurie’s fine 105. Despite the ease of their win they were back to earth the
next week. Normie obviously rejuvenated Swamp and Peter Osmond was ageless.
He scored 36 in Swamp’s 117 (Rob Laurie 4-35, Andrew Cross 3-22) and despite
Laurie’s 52 and Doug Jamieson’s 37, League only managed 97. Round Swamp
then ended Memorial Club’s unbeaten run the next week after being sent in. Paul
Hoy 33 and Peter Osmond 29 put on 54 and Swamp totalled 160 (Mark Peters
3-33), but Memorial only managed 106 (Paul Hoy 4-17 in a good double). Swamp
then went to the top of the comp after Union sent them in and they compiled
6-205 (Stephen Goodwin 57, Kev Hoy 51 not out, Peter Osmond 32) Andrew
Bonser, 5-8 and Normie 3-29 rolled Rugby for 110, John Toshack 47 and at the
top of the board “Do” Partridge (c T. Schultz, b I. Bird 0). Unfancied at the start
of the season Swamp were now front-runners. He had a bit of an influence on
the game, young “Normie”. Swamp played a couple of more interesting games
that season. Colts rolled them for 172 despite Paul Hoy, 44, and Peter Osmond
36 providing a platform. Rodger Jamieson hit five sixes and four fours in his 50
(Bob Bowden 4-21, Eric Stier 3-49) and Colts 3-197 were untroubled and won by
seven wickets (Jamie Sweeney 37, Lee Fletcher 73, Gary Stoddart 42 not out). In
a match against League, Round Swamp were beaten outright. They managed 26
(Kev Hoy 12 the only bat to make double figures and seven ducks; Andrew Cross
7-20, Doug Jamieson 3-5) and League made 8-174 (Denis Makeham 43, Garth
Clare 42 not out, R. McKinnon 36). Swamp were then skittled for 68 (Cross 5-32;
Doug Jamieson 4-15). Denis Makeham was following up from a ton the week
before and in Clare and McKinnon’s partnership of 74, no less than 68 came in
boundaries. A.J. had match figures of 12-52 and Doug Jamieson 7-20. No Normie
for Swamp in that match. In the inter-district match played the next week Walcha
drew with Guyra at the John Oxley after Lee Fletcher was 103 not out in a total of
9-270. Peter Natty opened and scored 30, Gary Natty batted at no.5 and scored 27
and Rod Natty batted at no.6 and scored 23.
The "overlapping" season reared its head again in the new decade. After
changing from Rugby Union to Memorial Club and Walcha Road, Simeon Cross
the golf champion added another "club" to his bag and played with Rugby League.
They made the final thanks to his efforts in the semi from which three players,
Rob Laurie, Rod Natty and Andrew Cross, withdrew to play in the Group 19
rugby league trials. Simeon told them if they chose rugby league over Rugby
League in a cricket semi, he'd never play for the club again. He was as true as his
driver off the tee and retired from cricket after the final. Not so sure if any Colts
made the same ultimatum to Warwick Fletcher and Irwin Brazel during the 197172 final.
Colts captain Rob Blomfield took out both the batting and the bowling
averages for the 1980-81 season. The Turton Cup for the winners of the knock-out
competition were Round Swamp, consolation knock-out for Mr A.J. Kermode’s
trophy, Walcha Road. The under-21 batting, donated by Bob Bowden was won by
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Mark Peters (28.7) and the under-21 bowling, also donated by Bob Bowden, was
won by Stephen Armstrong (11.11). Peter Osmond with an average of 29.2 took
out the over-35 batting. Bob Bowden (14.1) took out the over-35 bowling a decade
on from winning the batting average! The batting average for Mr A.J. Ferris’s
trophy went to Bloomie (37) and bowling average for the late Mr A.G. Blomfield’s
trophy, also to Blomfield (7.7). After Rob returned to Walcha from school he used
to take A.G. (Geoff) Blomfield from Oorawilly into watch the cricket. Season
aggregate went to Irwin Brazel (461), most wickets for Blue Hogan’s trophy, Greg
Partridge (44). Viv Partridge’s trophy for most catches was won by Lee Fletcher
(12). Hat-trick trophies were awarded to John Walker and Denis Wall. Inaugural
trophies donated by Mr Kieran “Jockey” Byrne and Mr Don Fletcher for batting
and bowling in inter-district cricket were won by Lee Fletcher (85). (I hope Lee
as president didn’t put his father up to this!) Andrew Cross picked up another late
E.R. Brazel Memorial Trophy for man of the match award, but he had to share it
with Stephen Goodwin (13 points). A.J. possibly took 500 wickets in his career
and Normie would be well over 600. The Yalgoo Shield for minor premiers went
to Memorial Club (76 points) and News Cup to major premiers, Memorial Club.
Lee Fletcher was president and Mrs Cott was now on board and this looked to be
a very successful end-of-season presentation with a big attendance, John Gleeson
as guest speaker, and new awards. Lee Fletcher thanked the council for money
for practice wickets, the turf, roller and mower and Ray Boyd, Andrew Cross and
Rob Laurie for assistance with the turf. What a terrific effort from Rob Blomfield
to win both averages and from the ageless Bob Bowden? The consistency of
Andrew Cross, Stephen Goodwin and Irwin Brazel is noteworthy too and there
is still a really solid connection to the end of the golden era a decade before. But
some of the young guns are coming through in Pommy and Turbo. Lee Fletcher
was coming of age with all the strings added to his bow.
In the 1981-82 season the major premiers were Colts, minor premiers Colts
(62 points) and Rugby League won the Turton Cup. Then we get the blasts from
the past. Man of the match: Peter Boyd (10 points); batting aggregate: Peter Boyd
(429); batting average: Mark Peters (58.2), bowling aggregate: Andrew Cross,
Peter Boyd (34); bowling average: Gordon Jamieson (5.9); under-21 batting:
Mark Peters (58.2); under-21 bowling: Jamie Bowden (9.78); over-35 batting:
Denis Makeham (32.9); over-35 bowling: Gordon Jamieson (5.9); district batting:
Mark Peters (25.2); district bowling: Simeon Cross (15.8); most catches: Peter
Boyd (11). Mark Peters had doubled his club average from the previous year and
was in devastating form, also scoring runs at district level, although for Walcha’s
sake it would have been nice if his district form was closer to his town form.
Jamie Bowden appears in the averages one year after his father. Turbo and Jamie
both played for Northern Tablelands Colts and were quickly embarking on terrific
careers. Speaking of which, how old was Gordon Jamieson? Class never goes out
of style. What a comeback and what an average. Peter Boyd just keeps on keeping
on as do Andrew Cross and Denis Makeham. Gordon started playing in the early
1950s, Duke in 1960 and Willie Makeham in the mid-1960s. 212
Colts and Rugby League played out the 1982-83 News Cup grand final
after League overwhelmed Round Swamp in the final. Stephen Goodwin sent
Rugby League in and must have wondered at his decision as opener Simeon
Cross, 75, and first drop and captain Denis Makeham, 80, enabled a total of
9-219. Goodwin, as ever, bowled solidly for 6-53. Swampies only tallied 116
and Simeon Cross completed a fine double, opening the bowling and snaring
6-57. The Round Swamp team contained Max Holstein and Gordon Jamieson
along with “Normie”, three of the greatest wicket-takers in the history of Walcha
cricket. Turning out for League was Kevin Humphries, now a state MP. It was a
good effort from Rugby League as they had covered for four players in the semi,
because of rugby league. Archie Natty made a comeback, to cricket, not rugby
league. Rob Laurie, Rod Natty and Andrew Cross came back for the final against
Colts, but had opted to play Group 19 trials during the semi, despite Simeon Cross
vowing never to play cricket for Rugby League again if they did so. He was true to
his word. Colts made it two in a row by taking out the 1982-83 grand final. They
were also minor premiers with 58 points and started the season by taking out
the Turton Cup. Walcha cricket players mature like red wine. Man of the match:
Peter Boyd (15 points); batting aggregate: Peter Boyd (467); batting average:
Robbie Laurie (44.85); bowling aggregate: Peter Boyd (33); bowling average: Rob
Blomfield (4.08); under-21 batting: Mark Peters (37.25); under-21 bowling: Mark
Peters (12.27); over-35 batting: Denis Makeham (41.28); over-35 bowling: Max
Holstein (12.75); district batting: Jamie Bowden (22); district bowling: Stephen
Goodwin (18.66); most catches: Peter Boyd, David Alais (9); hat-tricks: Craig
Stoddart, Andy McCormack, Simeon Cross, and Bruce Davidson. Forget the red
wine analogy, Walcha cricketers are like Ol’ Man River, they just keep rollin’
along. The names encapsulate Walcha cricket. Blomfield’s Colts were in rare form and were major premiers again in 198384. Minor premiers too, with 68 points. Rugby League were a minor intrusion
on their dominance by taking out the Turton Cup. Man of the match: Stephen
Goodwin (13 points); batting aggregate: Stephen Goodwin (428); batting average:
Stephen Goodwin (47.55); bowling aggregate: Andy McGeogh (27); bowling
average: Andy McGeogh (4.92); under-21 batting: Mark Peters (26.27); under-21
bowling: Jamie Bowden (10.34); over-35 batting: Denis Makeham (35.5); over35 bowling: Terry Richards (16.19); district batting: Lee Fletcher (47); district
bowling: Rob Blomfield (11.73) Wicketkeeper of the year: Garth Clare (27
points); Most catches: Garth Clare (10). Another big year for Normie, and Lee
Fletcher continues his great district form. Was this the year Andy McGeogh
had Snow Bird batting next to the square-leg umpire? Rob Blomfield must have
appeared in the awards just about every year he’s played. Garth Clare was a very
solid performer over many years.
It was 1984 when Rugby League cleaned up Rugby Union for 22 in the first
innings and 14 in the second, Doug Jamieson finishing with match figures of 9-20.
Rugby League broke Colts’ dominance in 1984-85 and made it a clean sweep
by winning the major and minor premierships (80 points) and the Turton Cup.
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Man of the match: Mark Peters (15 points); batting aggregate: Mark Peters
(542); batting average: Mark Peters (54.2); bowling aggregate: Stephen Goodwin
(34); bowling average: Stephen Goodwin (8.79); under-21 batting: Mark Peters
(54.2); under-21 bowling: Steve Enders (10.21). This was the season that 16-yearold Stephen Enders, playing for Walcha Road against Rugby Union, took 5-0 in
three overs, and Road were still beaten. Over-35 batting: Peter Boyd (51.8); over35 bowling: Max Holstein (13.35); district batting: Mark Peters (32.6); district
bowling: Andrew Cross (20.33); wicketkeeper of the year: Denis Makeham (40
points); Most catches: R. Coulter (14). Remarkable figures by Mark Peters and
good to see that district average up in the 30s. Uncle Denis must have been sick
of scoring runs and decided to concentrate on things behind the sticks. The Max
factor makes its Mark. The careers of the aggressive technicians overlap. It was
great that Max Holstein was still playing when Mark Peters started his purple
patch. Aggregates, averages and batting style, they certainly shared a bit.
Time for some other “old-stagers” to make a comeback team-wise and
individually. The 1985-86 major and premiers (74 points) and Turton Cup winners
were Round Swamp. Man of the match: Denis Wall (17 points); batting aggregate:
Barry Hoy (438); batting average: Mark Peters (46.5); bowling aggregate: Denis
Wall (37); bowling average: Denis Wall (8.1); under-21 batting: Mark Peters
(46.5); under-21 bowling: Mark Peters (11.8); over-35 batting: Kev Hoy (31);
over-35 bowling: Max Holstein (8.2); district batting: Andrew Cross (64); district
bowling: Craig Hoy (22); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy (43 points); most
catches: Barry Hoy (12); hat-tricks: Dale Brazel. Some players of the era reckoned
Barry Hoy became better with age and he tended to agree with the assessment
himself. Good to see him featuring on the same trophy night as his father. Denis
Wall aside, no wonder Swamp had such a good year with Barry behind the sticks
and Max Holstein.
Some players of the era always hoped Mark Peters would be as devastating at
inter-district as he was at club level. But Peter Boyd has lamented that in his long
and successful career he didn’t succeed at district quite as he would have liked.
All this needs to be put in perspective. District is played once a month quite often
against decent players. Rob Blomfield never scored a district ton. Some of the
great players of the past struggled to make district sides. A check back through
the records shows only the very best of Walcha cricketers dominated at this level
and most when the local competition was very strong. Blomfield, Rob Laurie and
Stephen Goodwin and to a lesser extent Lee Fletcher were the exceptions from
this era.
In 1986-87 Peter and Rodney Natty teamed up for the Elders double-wicket
competition and defeated defending champions and favourites Rob Laurie and
Rodger Jamieson. Peter Natty picked up the trophies for the batting aggregate
on the day and the most catches, one in particular remembered by all who saw
it taken high above his head with his left hand. By the end of December [1986]
Rugby Union were well on their way to adding the News Cup to their Turton
Cup after cleaning up Bowling Club by seven wickets in the last match before
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the Christmas break, thus giving them a three-point cushion over Rugby League.
Defending premiers Round Swamp were back in third. In the matches before the
holiday adjournment Colts defeated Walcha Road, League overpowered Round
Swamp and Union crushed Bowling Club. Union’s representative bowler Jamie
Bowden took 4-23 off eight overs and champion batsman Mark Peters carved out
77 in quick time. Bowling Club had only made 114 and without Denis Wall’s 47
and Gary Natty’s 23 wouldn’t have had too many at all. Once Peters got going
Union only needed 17 overs to get the runs. On The Park turf Round Swamp
were 5-45 before tailenders Allan Potts, 26, and Mark Tickle, 33, came to the
rescue and took the score to 134. League openers Doug Jamieson, 35 and Rodney
Tickle, 31, provided a solid opening partnership and despite a slight hiccup, Rob
Laurie, 36 not out, guided them to a six-wicket win with 15 overs in hand. Peter
Boyd contributed 48 of Walcha Road’s tally of just over 100 before Rob Brazel,
44 not out, Joe Firenze, 37 and Dale Brazel, 30, helped Colts round up the tally
in 25 overs. Rugby League advanced to the 1986-87 grand final after winning a thrilling
preliminary final by one run. Round Swamp batted first and scored 144, Max
Holstein top-scoring with 54, which included seven fours and a six. In Doug
Jamieson’s seventh over Max hit the first three balls to the boundary and the
fourth out of the ground. Swamp’s opening bowlers Steve Goodwin and Craig
Hoy had League in a bit of strife, bowling the first five overs without conceding a
run and picking up the wickets of Rodney Tickle and Garth Clare to boot. Doug
Jamieson top-scored for League with 49, but it was left to the last two batsman
and the last over to secure victory, Michael Wayte steering the third ball behind
square leg.
Rugby League took out the News Cup for 1986-87 despite going in as
underdogs against Rugby Union who were after a “trifecta” of local competitions
having won the Turton Cup pre-season knock-out and the Yalgoo Shield as minor
premiers. Andrew Cross captained the League side, which comprised Michael
Gibson, Rod Natty, Brian Hoad, Rob Laurie, Dennis Coombes, Doug Jamieson,
Rodger Jamieson, Rob Wayte, Rod Tickle, Garth Clare and Aaron Reardon (12th). It was the mid-’80s when Colts and Bowling Club turned on a thriller at the
John Oxley Sportsground. Bowling Club compiled 171 from their 70 overs mainly
thanks to 78 from Denis Wall. Colts required four runs for victory in the final over
with five wickets in hand. Bob Jex’s opening delivery wouldn’t have pleased his
captain, conceding two runs with a wide. But his next three deliveries were dot
balls and he picked up the wicket of Steve Armstrong. New batsman Simon Hoy
levelled the scores when he hit a single, leaving Joe Firenze two balls to pick up
the winning run. He left it to the last delivery and close-in Bowlo fielder Wayne
Brennan’s shy at the stumps missed and Colts were home. Firenze had carried
his bat and remained 85 not out. He’d also picked up 4-25 when bowling. There’s
nothing quite like a close game of cricket.
Walcha made the Northern Tablelands semi-finals in 1986-87, just about
signalling the completion of the resurgence. It was a little more than a decade
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on from the comp fielding four teams, and the last time Walcha had success
at district level, the side contained eight Nowendoc players. The drought and
demography had almost done what nothing before could – kill the spirit and
resourcefulness of Walcha cricket. But here they were back with a new breed of
old names, in the thick of inter-district, and against New England to boot. The
side beaten by Armidale in the 1986-87 semi was Mark Peters, Jamie Bowden,
Rodger Jamieson, Rob Laurie, Rob Brazel, Ken Cameron, Barry Hoy, Chris
Laurie, Dale Brazel, Steve Goodwin and Bill Laurie. The names give it away
really, Peters with his Makeham connection, two of Herb Laurie’s boys, one of
R.A. Laurie’s boys, Brazel brothers from Ingleba, a Hoy from Round Swamp,
Gordon Jamieson’s youngest, Bob Bowden’s boy. Mark Peters, Jamie Bowden,
Rob Laurie and Stephen Goodwin had all played for Tablelands and Goodwin
had gone on to become an Emu. Dale Brazel, 47, Rodger Jamieson 31 not out and
Mark Peters 29 provided the bulk of Walcha’s 172, Barry Hoy, 22, combining with
Jamieson for a 53-run last-wicket partnership. Another semi from this period, this
time a club semi, made for an interesting situation. Rugby Union were given a
“second chance” to qualify for the final of the News Cup. Union were on the ropes
at 8-77 first-time around against Rugby League, but rain forced the postponement
of the match. Union were again in strife at 3-34 in the rescheduled match with
Stephen Sweeney, Andy McCormack and Mark Peters gone. But Chris Laurie
played a glorious knock of 107 not out including 14 fours and a seven. Fat Cat was
probably the best straight hitter since a protester at the Sydney Mardi Gras. Old
campaigner and League captain Andrew Cross toiled tirelessly and finished with
five wickets from a 10-over spell.
The 1986-87 major premiers were Rugby League; minor premiers: Rugby
Union (80 points) and Turton Cup winners, Rugby Union. Man of the match:
Stephen Goodwin (15 points); batting aggregate: Mark Peters (604); batting
average: Mark Peters (120.8); bowling aggregate: Jamie Bowden (39); bowling
average: Jamie Bowden (9.05); under-21 batting: Mark Tickle (32.6); under-21
bowling: Steve Enders (12.1); over-35 batting: Robbie Laurie (80.5); over-35
bowling: John Walker (16.3); district batting: Dale Brazel (36.8); district bowling:
Craig Hoy (12.8); wicketkeeper of the year: Ken Cameron (39); most catches: Ken
Cameron (20).
Denis Wall’s recruiting paid dividends for some time. In the 1986-87 season
his old Nowendoc teammate Billy Laurie, who’d joined him at Memorial Club
and followed him to Bowling club, knocked up 464 runs for the season. Denis hit
333. But everything pales in comparison to the Master Blaster.
There were some good performances in the “busy” start to the 1987-88
season. Mark Peters had switched clubs again in the off-season. Must have been
the influence early in his career of Denis Wall. Swamp dismissed Bowling Club
for 85, Peters, 3-23, opening the bowling with Craig Hoy 3-19 while Allan Potts
snared 3-9. Peters and Hoy then opened the batting and put on 97 without loss of
which Peters contributed 74 not out including four sixes and nine fours. He took
24 of Andrew McGuffog’s second over (three fours and two sixes) and “Guff”
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finished with 0-35 off two overs. Defending Turton Cup holders Rugby Union
played Walcha Road in a beauty. Road were dismissed for 166 (Phillip Boyd 58;
Andy McCormack 3-44, Steph Sweeney 3-34). According to the scoreboard,
Union openers Darrell Brazel and Steph Sweeney scored 31 and 26 respectively,
which means at best a stand of 57. But according to the “Caught in the slips”
column by Outside Edge, “Steph Sweeney and Darrel Brazel gave their team
a chance of victory when they belted 62 off the first seven overs sent down by
Walcha Road. Both players were bowled by Steve Enders within four deliveries
as they threw their wickets away so they could attend brother and cousin Jamie
Sweeney’s wedding.” Dodgy maths aside, Rugby Union collapsed and Andy
McCormack was 63 not out in their 156 (Stephen Enders 4-46). Colts crushed
defending News Cup holders Rugby League in the other match. League could
only manage 101 of which Rob Laurie hit 38. It was a fairly handy Colts attack
of Jamie Bowden, Mark Schuhkraft and Steve Armstrong and Bowden took 3-23
off eight overs. Colts basically enjoyed a 10-wicket win, Dale Brazel 55 not out
and stumps were called when fellow opener Joe Firenze fell for 47. Rugby League
captain Rod Natty was on his toes throughout the day. He arrived for the toss
with Colts at 1pm, played basketball at 1.30pm and returned to bat for League,
was dismissed for a duck and then fronted for a second game of basketball before
attending Ching Sweeney’s wedding. He left that to play a third game of basketball
and then headed off to the rugby league football presentation night. Being named
the A-Grade best and fairest for 1987 topped off his day. But perhaps the most
significant cricket “item” in the Walcha News that week was the “Walcha cricket
teams” list. After the six club sides was the Kanga Cricket squad, and the last
name was N. Goodwin. It didn’t take long before he was livening up the scene. And another already livening up the scene was Mark Schuhkraft. Round
Swamp won the 1987-88 major premiership, Colts were minor premiers (84
points) and Turton Cup winners. Man of the match: Stephen Sweeney (15
points); batting aggregate: Peter Boyd (452); batting average: Mark Peters
(68.5); bowling aggregate: Stephen Goodwin (32); bowling average: Jamie
Bowden (8.14); under-21 batting: Craig Hoy (36.25); under-21 bowling: Steve
Enders (8.73); over-35 batting: Peter Boyd (34.44); over-35 bowling: Peter Boyd
(14.43); district batting: Rob Brazel (43); district bowling: Mark Schuhkraft
(15.37); wicketkeeper of the year: Garth Clare (14); most catches: Rod Natty
(20); hat-tricks trophy to Gary Simond. Jamie Bowden, Craig Hoy and Steve
Enders were certainly consistent, as was David Garth Clare. Mark Schuhkraft
regularly bowled 20-over plus stints in district and brought plaudits from all his
contemporaries.
Walcha Road didn’t leave it for 20 years this time, just a decade. They were
1988-89 major premiers, while Rugby League were minor premiers (56 points) and Round Swamp won the Turton Cup. Man of the match: Mark Schuhkraft
(14 points); batting aggregate: Mark Peters (483); batting average: Mark
Schuhkraft (62.8); bowling aggregate: Mark Peters (23); bowling average: Jamie
Bowden (12.05); under-21 batting: Laurie Davis (32); under-21 bowling: Craig
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Parsons (13.4); over-35 batting: Rob Laurie (44.8); over-35 bowling: Peter Boyd
(13.17); district batting: Barry Hoy (18.75); district bowling: Robbie Laurie (17.8);
wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy (29); most catches: Bob Jex (9); Hat-trick
trophies to Rob Laurie and George Lyon reliving the days when they had long
hair. There is remarkable consistency from Mark Peters, Jamie Bowden, but the
evergreens are never far from the action, Truck, George and Duke, are all now
ON HIS TOES: Rugby League skipper Rod Natty had a busy day in 1987.
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playing over-60s. As Barry Hoy said: “Mark Schuhkraft stiffened up things in
district.” Normie reckoned: “We didn’t have enough strike weapons, so we hoped
one of the three or four good bats got some runs, and then tie ’em up again. We
got into a few district finals, but never won one. I’ve never won a district final and
it’s a fair while since they had. We had our chances. I played in all those Mulligan
Cup finals. Runners-up three times. We got beaten twice down here at The Park.
The team was a little bit stronger, but worked in the same way. We hoped one of
the better bats got going and then we had Mark Schuhkraft. He’d bowl non-stop
from one end. He’d bowl 25 overs from one end. I’d bowl at the other end. That’s
why they didn’t get many runs against us. But once again we didn’t chase very
well. In the finals against Inverell we restricted them. Armidale got 200-odd, but
we should have beaten Inverell twice.”
In 1989-90 Walcha were well and truly back in the thick of inter-district cricket
with a good semi-final win, and against New England. Guess who performed?
R.G. Laurie 26 and Denis Wall 21. Mark Schuhkraft took 4-53 off 17.3 overs,
Steve Armstrong took 3-11 and Normie 2-12 off six overs. Walcha has a goodnatured but terrific rivalry with Inverell and for many years Northern Tablelands
seemed to be a three-way tussle between these two and New England. In the
1989-90 inter-district final at Inverell the home side scored 109 (Peter Hendy 36,
pin-up boy Brad Everett took 4-15) and Walcha must have thought themselves
a good chance. They were dismissed for 91 (Mark Schuhkraft 27; Peter Hendy
6-48).
In inter-district in 1990-91 Walcha defeated Inverell in the semi-final. An old
dog for a hard road, Truck top-scored with 53 not out, Steve Armstrong knocked
up 27 and Barry Hoy 21. Truck then took 3-21 and Steve Armstrong 2-26. Walcha
“played their final a bit early” and Armidale took the title quite easily. The home
side scored 204 (Mark Peters 3-3) and Walcha managed 148 in reply (Mark
Schuhkraft 59, Craig Morgan 27).
In 1991-92 Walcha won the inter-district semi against Armidale in a lowscoring affair. Truck’s strangulation approach had certainly taken hold. Craig
Morgan scored 29 not out, R.G. 23, Dale Brazel 19, Lee Fletcher 18 and Mark
Peters 15 not out. The old stager Normie took 5-49 off 18 overs and Jamie Bowden
3-35 off 16 overs. Third-time lucky? Unfortunately no. Walcha had the homeground advantage in 1991-92 and rolled Inverell for 133 on The Park (Truck
4-47). Chasing again proved a problem, with Walcha falling short by an agonising
seven runs on 126 (Robbie Brazel 29 not out, Lee Fletcher 22 and Craig Morgan
20). It was a strong side with nine, 10 and jack Barry Hoy, Ben Lock and Jamie
Bowden respectively. Walcha were in a solid position at 4-82 but then lost Craig
Morgan and R.G. in succession and at 6-82 the wobbles set in. Bowden was run
out on 11. A bit of controversy too, with Walcha bringing back Mark Schuhkraft
for the match at the expense of a local.
Rugby League were playing consistently and were major premiers for 1989-90
and minor premiers with 83 points. Swamp picked up the Turton Cup. Man of the
match: Mark Schuhkraft (12 points); batting aggregate: Rob Laurie (505); batting
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average: Rob Laurie (72.14); bowling aggregate: Jamie Bowden (36); bowling
average: Denis Wall (9.5); under-21 batting: Craig Hoy (34.44); under-21 bowling:
Barry Lockyer (22.7); over-35 batting: Rob Laurie (72.14); over-35 bowling: Denis
Wall (9.5); district batting: Dale Brazel (38.33); district bowling: Mark Schuhkraft
(11.42); wicketkeeper of the year: Garth Clare (42); most catches: Garth Clare
(17). Garth Clare’s ’keeping skills keep on keeping on like all those old “Ingalba
names” in cricket – Brazel (the brothers were competing well in district), Wall,
a rejuvenation for Denis, and Bowden, what consistency. Truck Laurie is finally
showing some potential. In 1990-91, Snow Bird, however many years after the infamous picture
that adorned the bar at the Royal Hotel, showed batting wasn’t a problem at all.
He guided Round Swamp to victory in the 1990-91 grand final. The report on
Thursday March 14, 1991 of the match said Round Swamp veteran left-hander
Ian “Snow” Bird never played a more valuable innings for his club then he did in
the 1990-91 grand final when Swamp defeated Colts to take out the Walcha News
Cup. Snow came to the wicket with his side in trouble at 8-113 chasing 142 and
added 17 runs with Shane Styles and then the final 13 with Michael Hoy. Colts
called correctly and batted first and it seemed the right decision when man-ofthe-match Rob Blomfield hit a boundary-laced 80 and Craig Morgan 30. Mark
Peters captured 4-39 and Peter Chapman 3-24 off 10 overs. The ever-reliable Gary
Natty opened with Steve Goodwin and they knocked up 70 and set Swamp on the
way. But it was all downhill and they were soon 8-113 before Snow entered the
fray. Norm’s record is well-known at all levels but Gary Natty has a tremendous
record over a long period with at least three clubs and district. A note at the end of
the report said all players were to be congratulated on the spirit of the game with
no umpiring decisions questioned. It was a decade since “Riley” was pictured
receiving the News Cup from John Gleeson as Memorial Club captain and 20
years since his name first appeared in scoreboards for Rugby Union.
Snow was an inspiration and Swamp were on a roll and in 1990-91 took out the
major and minor premierships (84 points) and the Turton Cup. Man of the match:
Peter Boyd (17 points); batting aggregate: Mark Peters (571); batting average:
Mark Peters (142.75); bowling aggregate: Jamie Bowden (30); bowling average:
Peter Chapman (7.18); under-21 batting: Ben Lock (14.16); under-21 bowling:
Hyde Thompson (15.70); over-35 batting: Denis Wall (35.22); over-35 bowling:
Peter Chapman (7.18); district batting: Stevie Hoy (39.37); district bowling: Steve
Armstrong (13.20); wicketkeeper of the year: Ken Cameron (47); most catches:
Ken Cameron (15); hat-trick trophies to Jamie Bowden and Rob Laurie. All in all
it was Mark Peters’ decade, but the consistency of Rob Blomfield, Rob Laurie,
Peter Boyd, Denis Wall, Andrew Cross, Willie Makeham, Stephen Goodwin and
Garth Clare among the older brigade has to be applauded. Some of the minor
premiership tallies were as solid as some of the batting averages. Walcha cricket
was definitely back from the dark times of the early ’70s thanks to the old guard
maintaining form and newcomers raising the bar. I wonder if Truck ever looked
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back with pride over what had been achieved since his 1973-74 season president’s
speech.
Colts decided they’d had enough of a break and took out the 1991-92 major
and minor premierships (60 points) Rugby League won the Turton Cup. Man
of the match: Stephen Goodwin (13 points); batting aggregate: Mark Peters
(410); batting average: Mark Peters (58.57); bowling aggregate: Hyde Thompson
(23); bowling average: Rob Blomfield (8.45); under-21 batting: Andrew Ward
(25.8); under-21 bowling: Hyde Thompson (11.04); over-35 batting: Lee Fletcher
(39.50); over-35 bowling: Rob Blomfield (8.45); district batting: Craig Morgan
(43.40); district bowling: Stephen Goodwin (13.44); wicketkeeper of the year:
Barry Hoy (31); most catches: Garth Clare, Eric Yates (9); hat-tricks: Jamie
Bowden.
Whose decade will it be? Familiar names still cropping up. Not only familiar,
but old cricket names. How did Colts not win the 1992-93 comp after amassing the
minor premiership with 125.34. points and the Turton Cup. The major premiers
were Round Swamp, an old dog for a hard road. Man of the match: Jamie Bowden,
Robbie Brazel (11 points); batting aggregate: Barry Hoy (383); batting average:
Mark Peters (43.0); bowling aggregate: Ian Chester (34); bowling average:
Gary Kelleher (6.133); under-21 batting: Ben Lock (28.45); under-21 bowling:
Stevie Hoy (12.0); Over-35 batting: Lee Fletcher (22.11); over-35 bowling: Rob
Laurie (10.73); district batting: Rob Laurie (48.5); district bowling: Rob Laurie
(15.0); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy (38); most catches: Garth Clare
(14); hat-tricks: Peter Boyd. Herbie must have had Truck on the tennis court at
Quiet Valley.
Drought returned again, along with some names that go back to the start of the
district and the start of cricket. The 1993-94 major premiers were Rugby League,
the minor premiers Colts with 54 point and Colts also won the Turton Cup. Man
of the match: Ray Boyd, Stephen Goodwin (12 points); batting aggregate: Ben
Lock (472); batting average: Dale Brazel (48.33); bowling aggregate: Stephen
Armstrong (26); bowling average: Ray Boyd (10.42); under-21 batting: Jimmy
Nivison (25.28); under-21 bowling: Cameron Little (15.6); over-35 batting: Ray
Boyd (41.375); over-35 bowling: Ray Boyd (10.42); district batting: Rob Laurie
(53.33); district bowling: Stevie Hoy (14.0); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy
(55); most catches: Barry Hoy, Warwick Fletcher, Gary Fairweather (11). Nivison,
Armstrong and Little, there’s some history in those names. Good to see ‘‘Kanga’’
hitting his straps again and Truck putting his head down in district. Barry Hoy
enjoys the ageing process.
There was no Kanga cricket when Barry was a boy, just Kanga Boyd having
a season or two with Swamp. The junior program paid some dividends or was
it just Normie’s backyard? The 1994-95 major premiers were Colts, minor
premiers were Round Swamp and Colts had picked up the Turton Cup. Man of
the match: Peter Boyd (12 points); batting aggregate: Barry Hoy (464); batting
average: Robbie Brazel (82.4); bowling aggregate: Stephen Armstrong, Nathan
Goodwin (21); bowling average: Stephen Goodwin (9.0); under-21 batting: Gary
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Fairweather (33.0); under-21 bowling: Nathan Goodwin (16.04); over-35 batting:
Lee Fletcher (67.2); over-35 bowling: Stephen Goodwin (9.0); district batting: Ben
Lock (37.14); district bowling: Robbie Laurie (15.80); wicketkeeper of the year:
Barry Hoy (38); most catches: Barry Hoy and non-keeper Dale Brazel (11). Father
and son had a bit more to prove yet.
At last another team with the treble. Bowling Club were major and minor
premiers and Turton Cup winners in 1995-96: Man of the match: Ben
Lock (12); batting aggregate: Ben Lock (440); batting average: Lee Fletcher
(63.8); bowling aggregate: Nathan Goodwin (21); bowling average: Denis Wall
(7.41); under-21 batting: Gary Fairweather (29.9); under-21 bowling: Nathan
Goodwin (11.95); over-35 batting: Lee Fletcher (63.8); over-35 bowling: Denis
Wall (7.41); district batting: Robbie Brazel (38.0); district bowling: Steve
Armstrong (17.72); wicketkeeper of the year: Martin Smith, Barry Hoy (30); most
catches: Steve Hoy, Rodney Natty non-keepers (8); hat-trick trophy to George
Lyon.
In 1996-97 five rounds were cancelled due to rain, including the last three before
the semi-finals. Colts pulled off the treble again; major premiers, minor premiers
and Turton Cup winners. Man of the match: Andrew Cross (9); batting aggregate:
Barry Hoy (287); batting average: Dale Brazel (37.85); bowling aggregate: Robbie
Laurie (19); bowling average: Robbie Laurie (13.94); under-21 batting: Nathan
Goodwin (18.8); under-21 bowling: Nathan Goodwin (17.2); over-35 batting: Dale
Brazel (37.85); over-35 bowling: Robbie Laurie (13.94); district batting: Robbie
Laurie (25.80); district bowling: Angus Palmer (8.93); wicketkeeper of the year:
Barry Hoy (24); most catches: Robbie Brazel, Rodney Natty, non-keepers (6).
Colts backed up again in 1997-98 but not before a good season for Round
Swamp saw them take out the minor premiership. The Turton Cup was won by
Rugby League. Man of the match: Chris Laurie, John Andrews (11); batting
aggregate: Chris Laurie (400); batting average: Jim Nivison (59.4); bowling
aggregate: Stephen Sweeney (20); bowling average: Stephen Goodwin
(7.94); under-21 batting: Nathan Goodwin (23.0); under-21 bowling: Nathan
Goodwin (19.22); over-35 batting: Stephen Goodwin (45.0); over-35 bowling:
Stephen Goodwin (7.94); district batting: Barry Hoy (29.5); district bowling:
Steve Armstrong (11.54); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy (31); Most catches:
Luke Wellings, Rob Laurie (6); Hat-tricks: Steve Armstrong. Nathan Goodwin is
on the march from a young age with the Under-21 bowling and batting two years
in a row.
He was helping Round Swamp build momentum and they were 1998-99 major
premiers and minor premiers, while Bowling Club won the Turton Cup: Man
of the match: Peter Boyd, Nathan Goodwin (10); batting aggregate: Barry Hoy
(414); batting average: Stephen Sweeney (45.4); bowling aggregate: Nathan
Goodwin (28); bowling average: Jamie Bowden (6.66); under-21 batting: Nathan
Goodwin (35.0); under-21 bowling: Nathan Goodwin (8.65); over-35 batting:
Stephen Sweeney (45.4); over-35 bowling: Jamie Bowden (6.66); district batting:
Greg Buckland (28.0); district bowling: Rob Laurie (16.6); wicketkeeper of the
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year: Barry Hoy (35); Most catches: Luke Wellings, Steve Hoy (9) Hat-tricks:
Craig Laurie, Tim Lord. Nathan Goodwin’s remarkable efforts are up with the
big boys now and it’s pleasing to see his batting average going up and his bowling
average coming down. Pleasing to see Uralla in the comp too, with all of the
historical connections through Sunny Jim and the turn of the century right back
to the dawn of cricket in the region at Salisbury and Terrible Vale. Nathan seemed
the man for a new decade and the Swamp just rolled on.
They took the 1999-2000 title after Rugby League finished minor premiers: and
Colts had annexed the Turton Cup: Man of the match: Jamie Andrews (12); batting
aggregate: Jamie Andrews (415); batting average: Dale Brazel (48.0); bowling
aggregate: Mark Berry (22); bowling average: Steve Cox (5.41); under-21 batting:
Nathan Goodwin (23.75); under-21 bowling: Ed Blomfield (8.43); over-35 batting:
Dale Brazel (48.0); over-35 bowling: Mark Berry (7.09); district batting: Rob
Laurie (26.6); district bowling: Steve Hoy (18.0); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry
Hoy (43); most catches: Barry Hoy, Peter Fothergill (7); hat-tricks: Steve Hoy.
One hundred years on from the “district” sides playing friendlies the comp
almost has a “district” feel to it. The 2000-01 major premiers were Rugby League,
but the northern neighbours Uralla were minor premiers and the other “rural team,
Round Swamp, picked up the Turton Cup. Man of the match: Barry Hoy (14);
batting aggregate: Barry Hoy (465); batting average: Barry Hoy (46.5); bowling
aggregate: Mark Berry (29); bowling average: Steve Hoy (9.08); under-21 batting:
Nathan Goodwin (33.0); under-21 bowling: Nathan Goodwin (10.63); over-35
batting: Barry Hoy (46.5); over-35 bowling: Mark Berry (10.68); district batting:
Grant O’Leary (32.75); district bowling: Steve Hoy (30.5); wicketkeeper of the
year: Barry Hoy (45); most catches: Curt Campbell 16, non-keeper Chas Robson
11. Hat-tricks: Steve Cox. Barry couldn’t do much wrong at this stage but it’s good
to see some new faces. The drought was still an issue, having been plaguing the district for nearly
a decade. Cricket is a wonderful break from the stresses of survival and “facing
the round eternal . . .” Round Swamp were major premiers and minor premiers
for 2001-02 and another “rural” team from the opposite side of the district took
out the Turton Cup showing off the resilience of the bush. Man of the match:
Stephen Sweeney, Bob Jex, Stu Halliday (10); batting aggregate: Barry Hoy
(327); batting average: G.J. Carter (60.2); bowling aggregate: Steve Cox, Peter
Mooney (23); bowling average: Luke Wellings (8.13); under-21 batting: Nathan
Goodwin (20.8); under-21 bowling: Luke Wellings (8.13); Over-35 batting: G.J.
Carter (60.2); over-35 bowling: Steve Cox (10.34); district batting: Rob Laurie
(31.6); district bowling: Steve Hoy (17.6); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry Hoy
(43); most catches: Barry Hoy (10), Rodger Jamieson, Peter Mooney (7).
Swamp backed up again with the treble in 2002-03, major premiers, minor
premiers and Turton Cup winners, but there’s something about a Laurie always
trying to get around the Hoys. Man of the match: Rob Laurie (10); batting
aggregate: Barney Bunting, Kirin Walters (310); batting average: Barney
Bunting, Kirin Walters (44.28); bowling aggregate: Adrian Allen, Peter Boyd,
223
Luke Wellings (17); bowling average: Adrian Allen (9.35); under-21 batting:
Kyle Goodwin (21.57); under-21 bowling: Luke Brown (14.0); over-35 batting:
Rob Laurie; over-35 bowling: Adrian Allen (9.35); district batting: Barry Hoy
(23.6); district bowling: Rob Laurie (15.12); wicketkeeper of the year: Barry
Hoy (33); most catches: Barry Hoy (12), Craig Lord (7). The left-armer Adrian
“Doc” Allen was quicker than a Medicare scheduled fee announcement and was a
welcome addition to the Walcha cricket scene. As with all those who settled in the
town and played cricket he was part of the remedy when the game looked crook,
as were the offspring of cricket’s backbone. Talkin’ ’bout my generation. And so
the tradition continues.
As Ruth Cotterill said when interviewed for this book: “You should see young
Thomas. He’s just like Barry.” Barry of course being Barry Hoy and Thomas is
his son, who now opens the batting with dad. What a wonderful resource Round
Swamp have been for Walcha cricket. Along with a few other families. In a season
opener about this time Kev Hoy’s son Barry and Rob Blomfield’s son Ed hit tons.
It was a maiden for Ed. About 10 years later they were resurrecting Walcha interdistrict cricket and taking it on a Country Plate campaign. One of the players
central to the mission was still in under-16s at this time. In the 2002-2003 New
England under-16 season, Kyle Goodwin hit 266 not out against North Armidale
along with two other tons in junior cricket including 102 against Manilla. His 266
is still a record believe it or not. On March 27, 2003, openers Troy Yarnold and
Kyle Goodwin put on a second-wicket partnership of 179 that paved the way for a
Walcha under-16 victory against TAS. Yarnold and Goodwin made it two grand
final wins in a row later in the day when Round Swamp won the Walcha News
Cup. TAS set the Walcha U-16s 253 and Yarnold and Goodwin’s partnership took
them to 227 before Yarnold was run out for 89. Goodwin went on to score 105,
including nine fours and one six. Walcha did it the hard way in the first week,
fielding nine men because Liam Brennan and Scott Schmutter were tied up with
golf. Two Walcha boys, Jock Rutherford and Will Archdale were in the TAS lineup. Tony Blake claimed 2-33 and ran out Rutherford with a direct throw from
the boundary. We play it hard around here. The team was captained by Mitchell
Sweeney, son of Steph and grandson of Owen and also comprised Josh Wellings,
Josh Steel, Luke Brennan, Tom Blake and Steve Harris.
In a remarkable effort and continuing on from, and improving on the great
tradition in the Northern Daily Leader Shield, Walcha Central School won the
state title as these boys progressed through by defeating Lake Cargelligo at
Dubbo. Mitch Sweeney, Luke Brennan, Tony Blake and Kyle Goodwin were in
the team and are making a mighty contribution to Walcha cricket still. Walcha
won six games to take the title. As Kyle said: “We had a really good young team.
A few went away for uni, but most of the ones who stayed still play cricket and a
couple are in the inter-district side and are still handy.”
Kyle and Mitchell Sweeney made the CHS side that played a carnival at
Barooga-Cobram where a young Phil Hughes was also present. Kyle would have
gone to the J.S. White Colts Carnival with Northern Tablelands, but seriously
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injured his knee. The New England team for the Walter Taylor Shield of which the
boys were a part, was coached by Rick Porter. Some connections there.
Kyle’s brother Nathan Goodwin is one of the “handy” ones and a dangerous
man with the bat, especially considering his Walcha career has played out in a
limited-overs era. Although it probably wouldn’t matter what format he played
under. His father reckons he should put his head down a bit more. In 2002 he hit
172 and in 2003 he hit 170, both against Colts.
It never rains but it pours and four rounds were lost to rain in 2003-04 . Major
premiers: Bowling Club; minor premiers: UNE Nomads; Turton Cup: Rugby
League; man of the match: Andrew Brownlie (13); batting aggregate: Nathan
Goodwin (450); batting average: Andrew Brownlie (68.5); bowling aggregate:
Hyde Thomson (25); bowling average: Andrew Brownlie (9.18); under-21 batting:
Mitchell Sweeney (26.1); under-21 bowling: Mitchell Sweeney (12.86); over35 batting: Shane Moran (45.1); over-35 bowling: Will Brennan (11.53); district
batting: Barry Hoy (26.0); district bowling: Rohan Lisle (8.8); wicketkeeper of
the year: Stu Wellings (28); Most catches: Shane Moran (16). Walcha’s cricket
relationship with Armidale goes back a long way and it was refreshing to see
the Nomads play in the Walcha competition. This was the start of Rohan Lisle’s
cameo and he fits right in to the classic all-rounder’s mould. The players that
would form the basis of a district revival are all starting to arrive on the scene.
In an interesting match in 2004-05 Rugby League made 199 (Michael Boyd
87, Jim Thompson 85; G. Kelly 3-43, Paul Pittman 3-25), too many for Colts’
106 (Stu Halliday 46, Paul Pittman 32; Andrew Cross 5-30 off 10 overs; Jim
Thompson 3-15 off six). The last six Colts batsmen went for ducks. Normie was able to share a premiership with both sons and he dated it by
saying: “Must have been after 2004. Beat Bowling Club down on the turf, against
big Rohan Lisle, he was pretty quick and Mitch Sweeney.” One of the buzzwords
coming in to general use at this time was “value-adding”. It not only applies to
industry. People at grass-roots of cricket can help the process. Normie drove his
son Kyle to Tamworth after the youngster decided he’d chance his hand at a better
standard of cricket. Norm had done the same himself of his own volition. Fast
bowler Josh Hazlewood hails from Bendemeer and has been hailed as the “next
big thing”. Walcha players from the western side of the comp often competed
against Bendemeer in the Peel Valley comp. Kyle Goodwin came up against
Josh Hazlewood in a Tamworth semi-final after the young quick had slipped one
through Adam Jones, Kyle’s Bective-East captain and best bat, and sent a stump
cart-wheeling three or four metres. Kyle was next man in and scored 60-odd that
day. Josh may not even remember the match or Kyle Goodwin, but you can bet
he’s a better bowler for having been denied by a teenager from Walcha. Josh
went on to play for Australia. Kyle came back to play in Walcha. That’s ‘‘valueadding’’.
The Goodwins’ Round Swamp took out the major premierships in 2004-05,
Bowling Club the minor premiership and Rugby League the Turton Cup: man
of the match: Kirin Walters (17); batting aggregate: Rohan Lisle (374); batting
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average: Jim Thompson (58.16); bowling aggregate: Josh Steel (24); bowling
average: Josh Steel (12.5); under-21 batting: Rohan Lisle (53.42); under-21
bowling: Josh Steel (12.5); over-35 batting: Jim Thompson (58.16); over-35
bowling: John Andrews (17.37); district batting: Kyle Goodwin (28.6); district
bowling: Josh Steel; Wicketkeeper of the year: Stu Wellings (30); most catches:
Stu Wellings (10), Stu Halliday (9). Chapter two contained a snapshot of Walcha cricket over the summer of 1904,
so 101 years on, let’s look at the 2005 summer. The more things change . . .
At least the agricultural season was good, but for cricket it was a damp opening
and games were delayed for a week by wet weather. Reigning Walcha News
Cup premiers Round Swamp, along with Rugby League opened their winning
accounts. Swamp sent Kentucky in to bat on the John Oxley Sportsground turf
with the visitors accumulating just 71 runs. Playing two players short certainly
didn’t help Kentucky’s cause and if it hadn’t been for opener Kirin Walters who
scored 24 along with veteran John Andrews’ contribution of 13 the picture would
have been a lot bleaker. Star with the ball was schoolboy Daniel Bozza who snared
4-11 off his six overs while Luke Wellings sent down eight economical overs to
capture 2-9. Swamp lost two wickets in their run chase, which took only 10 overs.
Opener Josh Steel was the star, cracking five fours and a six in his unbeaten
42 runs. Opener Barry Hoy chipped in with 11 runs whereas Nathan Goodwin
remained unconquered on the same score. Both John Andrews and Alex Taylor
picked up a wicket each for Kentucky. In the other match League set Colts a total of 161 after batting first. Year 12
student Andrew Laurie top scored with 57, which included two sixes and three
fours. Veteran Peter Boyd was the only League batter to reach double figures with
32 the same score as total sundries. Colts’ most successful bowler was Charles
Norton who took a wicket in each of his four overs before finishing with 4-26.
Opener Cameron Little took 3-23 and Gareth Kelly assisted with 2-23.
After putting 20 runs on the board Colts lost their first wicket, but then
collapsed to lose 5-39 before recovering to reach a total of 132. Imported number
six batsman Matt See gave his team some hope when he blasted 63 (six fours and
three sixes) in the middle order, but the only other Colts batsman to bother the
scorers was opener Eddie Blomfield with 21. Left-armer Adrian Allen opened the
bowling for League taking 2-23 off nine overs and fellow opener Michael Boyd
claimed 2-33 off his nine overs. In hindsight the difference of 23 in total sundries
between the two teams had a fair impact on the result. In mid-November, Bowling Club remained the only undefeated team following
one full round of the Walcha News Cup. They were on 22 points ahead of Rugby
League 20, Colts 18, Round Swamp 12 and Kentucky 8. At the John Oxley
Sportsground BC proved too strong for Kentucky on the synthetic, rounding
them up by 89. Sent in to bat BC mustered their second successive double-ton,
notching up 5-209 off 40 overs. No.4 batsman Mitchell Sweeney top-scored
with 67 sharing in an 81-run fourth-wicket partnership with Greg Buckland.
Consistent opener Shane Moran contributed 44, century-maker from the previous
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weekend Rohan Lisle, 33 and Buckland 23. Late in the innings BC’s Chris Watts
was in a hurry cracking a quickfire 25 that included two successive sixes during
the final Kentucky over bowled by Mick Ward. Best of the visiting bowlers was
Kirin Walters with 2-42 off 10 overs while Eddie Axon, Mick Ward and John
Andrews all claimed a wicket each. Kentucky wicketkeeper Stu Wellings lent
valuable assistance to the bowlers who captured a wicket by taking a catch off
each one. Only two Kentucky batsmen managed to reach double figures and if
it wasn’t for youngster Tony Blake making an unbeaten 61 the story would have
been a lot sadder. Veteran opener Chris Page made 11. BC skipper Hyde Thomson
led the way in the bowling department snaring 3-15 off his seven overs and leftarmer Brian Lynch picked up 2-25. All-rounder Lisle sent down nine overs to take
2-37 whereas Sweeney, Watts and Luke Brennan took a wicket each. In the other match Colts rolled Swamp by 10 wickets after Swamp set them
a modest total of 111 on the John Oxley Turf. Swamp batted first after winning
the toss with more than half their batsmen failing to score. Opener Jason Brooks
was far and away Swamp’s best with the willow accumulating 76 including six
boundaries and five threes. The only other batsmen to bother the scorers were
Greg Carter 10, Troy Yarnold 9, Barry Hoy 5 and Steve Eveleigh 2. Colts allrounder Eddie Blomfield turned in a solid performance capturing 4-15 and then
scored an unconquered 54 including five boundaries. Medium-pacer Gareth
Kelly took 3-0 off his final six deliveries before finishing with 3-25 and opener
Will Fletcher assisted by taking 3-28. Blomfield’s opening partner Stu Halliday
also picked up a half-century belting a couple of sixes in his 53.
The following Sunday the Walcha inter-district team travelled to Armidale to
play Dumaresq Colts in their Connelly Cup match.
Team lists from a 2005-2006 round. Rugby League: M. Boyd, P Boyd,
W Boyd, R Laurie, A Laurie, N. Robards, G. White, B. Moore, A.J. Cross, C.
Brown, S. Bowden, D. Poflotski (12), G. Fairweather (13). Round Swamp: B. Hoy,
C. Lord, N. Goodwin, J. Brooks, J. Steele, S. Partridge, T. Stackman, S. Harris,
S. Eveleigh, T. Yarnold, W. Brennan, L. Brennan (12), L. Laurie (13). Colts: Ed
Blomfield, Stu Halliday, Josh Wellings, Matt See, Gareth Kelly, Will Nichols,
Ben Fletcher, Dan Hunt, Cameron Little, Luke Brown, Lachlan Brown, Charlie
Norton (12). District side to play Armidale Colts at Armidale Sportsground
Sunday, November 20, 10am start. District team: Ed Blomfield, Rob Laurie,
Rohan Lisle, Mitch Sweeney, Jason Brooks, Andrew Laurie, Will Fletcher, Luke
Brennan, Josh Steele, Tony Blake, Gareth Kelly, Craig Lord. That’s the same Rob
Laurie who had his first taste of inter-district cricket in the early or mid-1960s.
The 2005-06 major and minor premiers were Rugby League, while
Bowling Club took out the Turton Cup: Man of the match: John Andrews, Kirin
Walters (9); batting aggregate: Matt See (332); batting average: Andrew Laurie
(54.5); bowling aggregate: Adrian Allen (20); bowling average: Will Fletcher
(12.29); under-21 batting: Andrew Laurie (54.5); under-21 bowling: Will Fletcher
(12.29); over-35 batting: Jim Thompson (43.57); over-35 bowling: Adrian Allen
(12.55); district batting: Matt See; district bowling: Rohan Lisle; wicketkeeper of
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VALUE-ADDING: Round Swamp’s Kyle Goodwin looks all class. In 2007 he completed a family tradition when
he spearheaded his side to a 135-run win over Kentucky at The Park during which he scored his first senior
century in Walcha cricket, joining his father Stephen and older brother Nathan as century-makers.
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the year: Stu Wellings (22); most catches: Andrew Laurie (9). Herb, Rob and now
Andrew make it three generations of batting averages since the War.
In 2006-07 the major and minor premiers were Colts and the Turton Cup
went to Round Swamp. Man of the match: Peter Boyd (10); batting aggregate:
Barry Hoy (414); batting average: Barry Hoy (82.6); bowling aggregate: Ed
Blomfield, Josh Steel (23); bowling average: Tim Brown (11.56); under-21 batting:
Tony Blake (37.0); under-21 bowling: Josh Steel (12.69); over-35 batting: Barry
Hoy (82.6); over-35 bowling: Lee Fletcher (12.5); district batting: Kyle Goodwin
(26.4); district bowling: Ed Blomfield (9.87); wicketkeeper of the year: Daniel
Hunt (25); most catches: Wayne Boyd (8), Michael Boyd (6); hat-tricks: Peter
Boyd double hat-trick (four wickets in four balls); Tim Brown (over two games)
and Daniel Poflotski.
The Northern Daily Leader of Tuesday, October 30, 2007 has a great report:
“Round Swamp’s Kyle Goodwin completed a family tradition on Saturday when
he spearheaded his side to a 135-run win over Kentucky at The Park.” Goodwin
scored his first senior century in Walcha cricket, joining his father Stephen and
older brother Nathan as century-makers. Kyle hit 16 fours and three sixes in his 118
not out in Swamp’s imposing 2-256 after being sent in by Kentucky. Steve Harris,
78, and Josh Steel, 33 not out also contributed. The 118 took Kyle’s aggregate
to 267 following knocks of 60 not out and 89. Visitors Kentucky reached 8-121
after Tony Blake top-scored with 42. Farrer schoolboy Thomas Hoy captured
3-23. Kyle’s back in Walcha from playing in Tamworth and Thomas is back from
school at Tamworth on holidays and the old and the new helped Round Swamp
to the Turton Cup for 2007-08. Major premiers: Rugby League; minor premiers:
Rugby League; Man of the match: Kyle Goodwin (16); batting aggregate: Kyle
Goodwin (509); batting average: Kyle Goodwin (127.25); bowling aggregate:
Peter Mooney (15); bowling average: Peter Mooney (11.13); under-21 batting:
Kyle Goodwin (127.25); under-21 bowling: Kyle Goodwin (12.0); over-35 batting:
Dave Allen (54.25); over-35 bowling: Mark Berry (15.23); district batting: Dave
Allen (74.0); district bowling: Josh Steel (16.0); wicketkeeper of the year: Stu
Wellings (19); most catches: Brian Mansfield (7); hat-tricks: Dave Allen, Troy
Yarnold. The noughties belong to the Goodwins, 35 years after their father rose
to prominence. Normie reckons his boys don’t put their heads down enough when
they bat, so they must have good eyes. Rob Blomfield reckons he took up spin
bowling because he got sick of going back to the top of his run only to be stonewalled by Normie.
Colts took out the treble for 2008-09, major and minor premiers and the
Turton Cup. Man of the match: Matt See (12); batting aggregate: James Sweeney
(345); batting average: Nathan Goodwin (77.0); bowling aggregate: Mark Berry
(19); bowling average: Mark Berry (5.36); under-21 batting: Cameron Sweeney
(27.6); under-21 bowling: Tony Blake (16.6); over-35 batting: Stu Halliday
(64.2); over-35 bowling: Mark Berry (5.36). Wicketkeeper of the year: Brian
Mansfield (17); most catches: Matt See, Brian Mansfield (7), Shane Young (6).
Hat-tricks: Mark Berry. Inter-district had gone off the radar. It needed some “oldWe Play It Hard Around Here
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time” revival. Fortunately town cricket was surviving and it was one of the old-style
“district” sides providing some soul. A [slightly edited] “Sport shorts” column by
A. J. Cross in February, 2009 reported: “Surely the hard luck story of the local
cricket season would have to be the elimination of Kentucky from the semi-finals,
despite winning their past two games against the odds. Given little or no chance
of qualifying for the playoffs after round 13 of the Walcha News Cup, Kentucky
responded to draw level on the competition ladder with Round Swamp and Rugby
League only to be counted out by for and against percentages. During the season
Swamp made 1582 runs while losing 89 wickets and took 78 wickets at a cost
of 1569 runs for a percentage of 88.36. League lost 71 wickets while making
1057 runs and took 71 wickets for 1227 runs at 86.11. Kentucky scored 1280
runs while losing 68 wickets and captured 61 wickets at a cost of 1368 at 83.94.
Hindsight is a marvellous thing, but if Kentucky had continued on from 0-74
and registered another 24 runs while avoiding the two run-outs that occurred
last Saturday against Swamp, they would have finished ahead of League on the
table. Kentucky should be applauded for not tossing in the towel when their cause
seemed lost after round 13.”
In the 2009-10 season Round Swamp joined Colts at the top of the competition
ladder after defeating an eight-man Bowling Club by four wickets at John Oxley
Sportsground. Bowling Club were able to amass a creditable 200 thanks to
Mitchell Sweeney’s 88 and young brother Cameron Sweeney’s 69. Mitch’s knock
included 12 fours and a six while Cameron cracked six fours and three sixes.
Steve Eveleigh took 3-55 for Swamp, who then rattled up 6-207. Kyle Goodwin
top-scored with 61 and Shane Rule picked up 3-31. On the synthetic wicket next
door Rugby League defeated Kentucky by 36 runs. Rob Laurie opened and topscored with 49 while fellow opener Michael Boyd hit 42 and man-of-the-match
Peter Boyd 31. Kentucky all-rounder Brad Partridge claimed 3-46 and his side
were in the contest at 4-94 after 20 overs, but were all out for 153. Alex Taylor
top-scored with 42 while Peter Boyd took 3-34. With a name that takes us back
105 years to Salisbury, Amos Urquhart, 5-36 off 8.4 overs, and left-armer Peter
Mooney, 4-15 off 10 overs, played a big role in Rugby League’s 61-run win over
Colts in the preliminary final of 2009-10. Andrew Laurie, batting at no.5 hit 69
and opener Adrian Hudson 28 out of Rugby League’s 149 (Allan Vagg 3-36, Stu
Halliday 3-36) and then dismissed Colts for 88 (Matt See 32; Amos Urquhart
5-36, Peter Mooney 4-15). Laurie hit six fours and a six, a good effort on a slow
field where only a dozen shots reached the fence. Colts openers Dale Brazel and
Chris Laurie both played out maiden overs before Brazel went for a duck. See’s
32 included two fours and a six. Colts were 6-67, but in the tradition of Walcha
cricket George Berry batting at no.10 remained 11 not out including a nice pull for
four to mid-wicket. Earlier in the day George had knocked up 50-odd in a century
stand for TAS under-13s against Hillgrove and taken three catches. At the other
end of the spectrum George Lyon, in his seventh decade, finished with 1-7 off
six overs after bowling thee maidens out of his first five, after which he had 1-3.
Mooney’s 4-155 came off 10 overs and after eight overs he had figures of 4-10. 230
Round Swamp went into the grand final for the 2009-10 News Cup at The
Park as favourites, having only lost three games during the season. They batted
first after winning the toss and evergreen Barry Hoy hit the much more evergreen
George Lyon’s first ball of the match to the mid-wicket fence. Hoy hit five
boundaries in his solid 28 at the top of the innings and set the tone. Despite being
1-34, 2-34, 3-50 and 4-64, Nathan ‘‘Alf’’ Goodwin batting at no.5 hit nine sixes
and four fours on his way to 117 not out. With support from no.8 Geoff Gessey,
27 not out, Swamp totalled 6-223. Andrew Laurie took 3-45 and then batting at
no.4 top-scored for League with 59 (two sixes and four fours). But apart from
that, and dad Rob Laurie’s 25 and Michael Boyd’s 28 at no.5, League struggled.
Luke Wellings took 3-35 and Nathan Goodwin 2-22 off seven overs. Interestingly
enough, after 10 overs Swamp were 2-40 and League 1-42; after 20 overs Swamp
were 4-84 and League 3-83 and after 32 overs Swamp were 6-130 and League
5-153. Goodwin and Gessey’s 97-run partnership came off just 48 balls. Peter
Mooney at one stage had figures of 0-31 off seven overs but Goodwin and Gessey
hit 43 off two overs and left him with 0-74 off nine overs. Goodwin hit six sixes
off Mooney and three off Amos Urquhart. League opened their batting with Rob
Laurie and Peter Boyd and their bowling with George Lyon, all with well over 40
seasons to their credit. Kyle Goodwin and Shane Young for Swamp both picked
up wickets with their first ball. It pays to know your cricketers. Great moments in caption writing. A picture
in the Walcha News of March 25, 2010 is captioned: ‘‘Rugby League were the
runners-up in the Walcha News Cup. Pictured in no particular order are: Rob
Laurie, Peter Boyd, Amos Urquhart, Andrew Laurie, Michael Boyd, Peter
Mooney, Allan Goodwin, Michael Robson, A.J. Cross, Tony Boyd and George
Lyon.’’ Apparently they all claimed to be ‘‘the good-looking bloke in the back
row’’. In the 2009-10 season Round Swamp became the 11th team in the past 50
years to win the treble of major trophies, the Turton Cup, Yalgoo Shield and
News Cup. Swamp legend Barry Hoy was presented with a trophy for his 155
not out scored against Rugby League. It was one of three centuries scored during
the season. Dale Brazel knocked up 107 for Colts and Nathan Goodwin 117 not
out in the final for Swamp. Barry accumulated 358 runs in the season and won
he batting average trophy with 59.66, followed by Dale Brazel. Kentucky allrounder Greg Buckland picked up the E.R. Brazel Memorial player of the year
award after accumulating 12 points, four more than Round Swamp pair Kyle
Goodwin and Shane Young. Buckland became the fourth Kentucky player to
win the award after John Andrews, his son Jamie Andrews, and Kirin Walters.
Buckland’s previous trophy was in 1999 when he won the batting average. Nathan
Goodwin was player of the grand final with his 117 and 2-22. Luke Wellings
(Round Swamp) won the Jim Fletcher Memorial Trophy for best bowling in the
grand final with his 3-35.
Round Swamp are a wonder. 2009-10 and another treble, major and minor
premiers and Turton Cup winners. Man of the match: Greg Buckland (12); batting
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aggregate: Barry Hoy 358; batting average: Barry Hoy 59.66; bowling aggregate:
Josh Steel 20; bowling average: Greg Buckland 11.52; under-21 batting: Steve
Eveleigh 160 runs at 40; under-21 bowling: Brad Partridge 16 wickets at 16.68;
over-35 batting: Barry Hoy; over-35 bowling: Greg Buckland; Wicketkeeper of
the year: Stu Wellings (30); most catches: Cameron Sweeney (9); hat-tricks: Mark
Berry, Luke Wellings. Nathan Goodwin was man of the grand final. Still no interdistrict cricket.
Round Swamp all-rounder Kyle Goodwin started the 2010-11 season in style,
scoring 242 runs for an average of 242, having only been dismissed once in his
four visits to the crease.
The “Cricket Report” for November 18, 2010 said: “The highlights of the
first 40-over match of the 2010-11 local season last Saturday were a century to
association president Ed Churchill and a quick-fire 75 to Kyle Goodwin.” Don’t know what Ed Blomfield thought of that when he read it, but it was in
fact him who knocked up a big ton. He was a little dirty on his teammates for
not telling him his score because he would have put his head down and gone for
the 150. At the John Oxley Sportsground Blomfield opened the innings for Colts
against Kentucky and his knock included four sixes and eight fours. His 163-run
third-wicket partnership with Paul Pitman (48) was the backbone of Colts’ 6-235.
The bowling analysis has Greg Buckland taking 2-39, but it was 3-39. Kentucky
then made 115 in 33 overs of which opener Tony Blake made 42. It was good day
for openers, Blake and Buckland opened the bowling and batting for Kentucky
and Blomfield likewise for Colts and he picked up 3-28 off nine overs in a handy
all-round contribution. Stu Halliday nabbed 5-42. At The Park Rugby League
set Round Swamp a modest total of 102 from 38 overs with veteran opener Rob
Laurie, 25, the only significant run-getter. Nathan Goodwin took 3-10 off six
overs, Luke Wellings 2-14 off seven overs and Kyle Goodwin 2-22 off eight. Kyle,
75 not out at first drop and Nathan, 16 not out at no.4, saw Swamp home in a
canter. Round Swamp went back-to-back when they defeated Bowling Club and
claimed the 2010-11 final at The Park. It was their 16th Walcha News Cup since
their first in 1959-60. Bowling Club won the toss, batted on what was a sluggish
pitch due to an overnight downpour, and posted 103. No.5 Luke Brown was the
best, hitting 26 which included two fours and two sixes. Swamp skipper Luke
Wellings snared 4-17 off 8.2 overs while Josh Steel bowled seven overs for figures
of 2-8. The father and son combination of Barry and Thomas Hoy opened for
Swamp, but they were gone by the start of the ninth over with only 16 runs on
the board. First drop and man of the match Kyle Goodwin stroked 58 and his
partnership with older brother Nathan (18) sealed the deal for Swamp. The scores
were level on 103 when Kyle tried to finish the match in style, only to be caught
three-quarters of the way to the boundary. Earlier he had put Bob Jex into the
Apsley River and the ball wasn’t recovered. Cameron Sweeney finished with 3-36
off nine overs for Bowling Club.
Kyle Goodwin was named 2010-11 Walcha cricketer of the year. The Round
Swamp all-rounder also won the batting aggregate trophy for his 409 runs. He
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was grand final player of the match for his 58 against Bowling Club. The E.R.
Brazel Memorial Cricketer of the Year commenced in 1976-77 and two fatherson combinations have won. Kentucky’s favourite sons John Andrews (1998 and
2006) and his son Jamie (2000) picked up the awards. Stephen “Normie” Goodwin
has “gone one better” in a sense. He won in 1980-81 (shared with Andrew Cross),
1983-84, 1986-87 1991-92 and 1993-94 (shared with Ray Boyd). But both his
sons have also won the award, Kyle in 2007-08 and 2010-2011 and Nathan in
1999 (shared with Peter Boyd). Association president Ed Blomfield won the
batting average after scoring 298 runs at 74.5. Rugby League left-armer Peter
Mooney scooped the bowling pool, taking out the aggregate with 19 wickets, the
overall average and the over-35 average with 8.3 runs per wicket. The under-21
batting average went to Steve Eveleigh who hit 130 runs at 18.57 and the under-21
bowling average went to his Bowling Club teammate Cameron Sweeney who
took 16 wickets at 12.12. Colts captain Paul Pittman took out the over-35 batting
after scoring 187 runs at 37.4. Young Rugby League stumper Thomas Boyd was
named wicketkeeper of the year after racking up 22 points throughout the season
to finish one point clear of five-time winner Kentucky gloveman Stu Wellings.
Boyd also took the most catches (six) to share the trophy with Cameron Sweeney.
The Walcha News Cup (major premiers) went to Round Swamp, Yalgoo Shield
(minor premiers) to Colts and the Turton Cup (20-over round robin) to Round
Swamp. Swampies’ skipper Luke Wellings collected the Jim Fletcher Memorial
trophy for best bowler in the grand final after he claimed 4-17. Medallions were
presented to century-makers Ed Blomfield (143 v Kentucky) and Luke Brown
(108 not out v Swamp) while Stu Halliday (5-42 v Kentucky), Paul Pittman (5-29
v Swamp), Peter Mooney (5-17 v Bowling Club), Bob Jex (5-32 v Rugby League
in the minor semi), Allan Vagg (6-6 v Bowling Club in the preliminary final) and
Cameron Sweeney (6-26 v Colts in the preliminary final) also received medallions
for five or more wickets in an innings. Peter Mooney was also presented a mounted
ball, the one with which he took a hat-trick against Bowling Club when he had
match figures of 7-26. Nine batsmen qualified for the average after scoring the
necessary 150 runs: Greg Buckland 150 at 21.42; Rob Laurie 151 at 15.1; Dave
Woodley 153 at 25.5; Luke Wellings 153 at 30.6; Nathan Goodwin 174 at 29.16;
Paul Pittman 187 at 37.4; Chris Watts 234 at 26.0; Ed Blomfield 298 at 74.5 and
Kyle Goodwin 409 at 68.16. Six bowlers qualified for the average after taking
15 wickets: Josh Steel 15 at 13.66; Chris Watts 15 at 12.33; Greg Buckland 16 at
12.62; Cameron Sweeney 16 at 12.125; Allan Vagg 18 at 9.66 and Peter Mooney
19 at 8.31. Colts won their first Turton Cup in 1939 and have gone on to claim it another
17 times, one behind Round Swamp. In 2011-12 in a Twenty-20 format, they rolled
Kentucky for 55, no batsman making double figures before Ed Blomfield, 32 not
out, and Stu Halliday, 20 not out, guided them home in 14 overs, 2-59.
The Yalgoo Shield winners for the minor premiership from the four-team
competition of 1973-74 to the present day, is again revealing: 1973-74 Rugby
League; 1974-75 Round Swamp; 1975-76 Walcha Road; 1976-77 Walcha Road;
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1977-78 Walcha Road; 1978-79 Walcha Road; 1979-80 Rugby Union; 1980-81
Memorial Club; 1981-82 Colts; 1982-83 Colts; 1983-84 Colts; 1984-85 Rugby
League; 1985-86 Round Swamp; 1986-87 Rugby Union; 1987-88 Colts; 198889 Rugby League; 1989-90 Rugby League; 1990-91 Round Swamp; 1991-92
Colts; 1992-93 Colts; 1993-94 Colts; 1994-95 Round Swamp; 1995-96 Bowling
Club; 1996-97 Colts; 1997-98 Round Swamp; 1998-99 Round Swamp; 1999-2000
Rugby League; 2000-01 Uralla; 2001-02 Round Swamp; 2002-03 Round Swamp;
2003-04 UNE Nomads; 2004-05 Bowling Club; 2005-06 Rugby League; 200607 Colts; 2007-08 Rugby League; 2008-09 Colts; 2009-10 Round Swamp. Colts won the treble in the 2008-2009 season, the Walcha News Cup (for major
premiers) the Yalgoo Shield (for minor premiers) and the Turton Cup (Knockout).
In the 2009-10 season Round Swamp became the 11th team to perform the feat in
50 years. It was the fifth time Swamp achieved the feat in that period, the others
being in 1969-70, 1985-86, 1990-91, and 2002-03. Colts managed it in 1982-83,
1996-97, and 2008-09. The other three teams to do it are Nowendoc in 1963-64,
Rugby League in 1984-85 and Bowling Club in 1995-96. In the 1973-74 season Colts came from fourth spot to win the News Cup, but
under a system where both semi-finals, 1 v 4 and 2 v 3, were elimination matches.
In 1970-71 Colts finished fourth on the ladder and then eliminated minor premiers
Nowendoc in the first knock-out semi-final. Third-placed Round Swamp disposed
of second-placed Commercial in the other semi. In the decider, Colts 168 (Denis
Makeham 37, Warwick Fletcher 31; Gordon Bird 6-53) and 0-81 (Irwin Brazel
43 not out Warwick Fletcher 38 not out) defeated Round Swamp 104 (Jim Laurie
7-53) and 127 (Phillip Chandler 30). Under the structure of the comp these days
the lowest placed teams could not reach the grand final. Tasmania won the 2010-11 Sheffield Shield, no doubt bringing back memories
for some older players. Northern Tablelands with a significant contribution from
Walcha players beat them when they were preparing to enter Shield cricket.
The 2011-12 season, celebrating 150 years of Walcha cricket was a five-team
competition with the Twenty-20 format to open proceedings; Round Swamp v
Colts at the John Oxley, Colts v Bowling Club at The Park and Rugby League
the bye. A report from December 1, 2011 said “round eight of the Walcha cricket
competition was washed out last Saturday after the big wet hit last week. Three
rounds have been called off this season due to rain, making it hard for players to
get themselves into any form. After eight rounds (five played and three washouts)
Colts led the way on 32 points followed by dark horses Kentucky, 28, Round
Swamp and Bowling Club on 24, while Rugby League were looking at the wooden
spoon on 20 points.” At least the great nemesis of the past 150 seasons, drought,
wasn’t around to spoil the birthday. There was some celebrating to be done. In the 150th season two things remind us of Walcha cricket and the times in
which we live. Another Laurie from Nowendoc is doing well, sporting all-rounder
Hannah Laurie. She was a member of the losing Armidale lnvitational cricket
team that was defeated by the ACA Masters team in Armidale, but she was the
big winner overall. Following the match Hannah received a special scholarship
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from the ACA that provided her with coaching by the best as she progresses in the
game. Hannah scored four runs before she was bowled by English spinner Monty
Panesar and sent down three overs at a cost of 22 runs without success. Old names from a rural team and some great bowling. It’s enough to pull up the
britches and light the pipe. “Blake takes 7 for 6” the headline read. “A sensational
bowling display by Kentucky captain Tony Blake paved the way to victory for his
team when he snared seven wickets at a miserly cost of just six runs against Rugby
League last Saturday. The left-arm opening bowler sent down 7.1 overs, which
included three maidens and at one stage collected six League scalps for three runs
from 15 deliveries. Earlier in the day Kentucky had set League what seemed like
a modest total of 114 runs on the synthetic strip closest to the Uralla Road after
Brad Partridge top-scored with 34 runs and was assisted by Greg Buckland who
knocked up 27. Most successful bowler for League was teenager Thomas Boyd
with 3-23 off his seven overs, opener Luke Brennan chipped in taking 2-19 off 10
economical overs during which time he consistently beat the bat while evergreen
Peter Boyd took 2-13 off four overs. In reply League were in all sorts of trouble at
2-0, 4-1 and 6-3 before they recovered to reach 17 before finishing with 20, 26 and
127. No.4 batsman Peter Boyd was the one League player to bother the scorers
reaching double figures but only just. Spinner Adrian Walsh grabbed 2-5 and Brad
Partridge sent down three overs before finishing with 1-1. In the other match both
teams were short of players before the eight-man Bowling Club team lowered the
flag of a nine-player Colts outfit for the first time this season. Colts batted after
winning the toss chalking up 71 runs thanks mainly to Phil Mawhinney (three
fours and one six) 23 runs and Cameron Little on 18. Leading Bowling Club
wicket-taker was Cameron Sweeney with 3-14 before then compiling a game-high
35 runs (five fours and one six) to complete his man-of-the-match performance.
Openers Hayden Sweeney 2-4 off five overs and Chris Watts 2-36 off eight overs
helped out as did Steve Eveleigh with 1-11. Bowling Club were in trouble early
after their first four batsmen were dismissed with 40 runs the board before the
Sweeney brothers Cameron and Hayden (12 not out) steered the ship home. Colts
openers Cameron Little 2-22 and Paul Pittman 2-27 tried to keep their team in the
match before Hugh Morgan picked up the token wicket of Cameron Sweeney after
Bowling Club had passed their assignment. Blake’s 7-6 had people wondering if
there was something in the apples at Kentucky. In 1999, another Kentucky leftarm swinger, Steve Cox, picked up 8-13 against Bowling Club. Other seven-fors
in recent seasons include Peter Mooney’s last year and Will Fletcher’s in 2006.
You can go back to 1981 and Normie Goodwin’s 7-7 against Rugby Union.
Finally in club cricket in 2011-12, how refreshing to see schoolboys getting
involved again with Hamish Hoare and Lee Harrison (Round Swamp); Thomas
Boyd and brother Daniel and Ben Cross (Rugby League); Hayden Sweeney
and A.J. Brennan (Bowling Club) and Jacob Hunt (Colts). With player numbers
stretched this was a welcome sign for Walcha cricket.
In the 150th season a 10-man Bowling Club were unlikely premiers after
being restricted to 64, Steve Eveleigh top-scoring with 15. Colts’ Mark Berry
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took 5-20 off eight overs. In a match played on the synthetic wicket, ironically
because of the amount of rain in the area, Colts were rolled for 34, Chris Watts
taking 7-11 and Cameron Sweeney 3-21. Ed Blomfield was Colts’ best bat with 15.
Ironic, because drought has caused some problems for Walcha cricket in the past
150 years. But how those names roll on.
T
he Don needed just four runs from his last innings for a Test average of 100.
Facing the wrist-spin of Eric Hollies, Bradman pushed forward to the second
ball that he faced, was deceived by a googly, and bowled between bat and pad for
a duck. Two morals from the story: never go into a game without a wrist-spinner;
and fairy tales don’t always come true.
That Bradman didn’t finish with an average of a hundred in no way shape or
form diminishes the legend of his batsmanship. Similarly, that the inter-district
side couldn’t pull off a Country Plate victory in the 150th celebration year of
Walcha cricket, takes nothing way from their effort. Reaching the semis from a
six-team comp should be looked on as a wonderful achievement and a positive – a
positive start to kicking off the second 150 years by going one better. Let’s look at
the march through what Mussa Case would call “the old china”.
Walcha defeated Glen lnnes by 26 runs in their opening Country Plate match
at Glen Innes on October 23. Batting first Walcha were 8-93 in the 32nd of their
50 overs before Colts duo Will Fletcher and Allan Vagg combined to put on a
valuable 40-run ninth-wicket stand. Batting at no.9 Fletcher finished 42 not out
after Cameron Sweeney, 23, Peter Mooney, 20, got starts but were unable to go
on with it. Nathan Goodwin showed his intentions and his 15 included two fours
and a six. Chasing 142 the home side were in trouble early at 3-16 then steadied to
reach 71 without further loss. But they collapsed again in the face of tight bowling
and pressure fielding and lost seven wickets for 45 runs to be all out on 116. Chris
Watts’s 3-12 off six overs included a hat-trick. Left-arm opener Tony Blake took
two wickets in the space of eight deliveries without conceding a run midway
through his spell before finishing with 2-20 off six overs. Nathan Goodwin chimed
in with 2-23 off six overs while Luke Brennan 1-6, Will Fletcher 1-13 (off seven
overs) and Cameron Sweeney 1-22 all contributed. Captain Ed Blomfield took
over ’keeping duties in the absence of Barry Hoy and accepted two catches and
executed a stumping. As good ’keepers do, even if filling in, he set the standard
and the fielding was a highlight, especially Nathan Goodwin’s screaming catch
off the bowling of Tony Blake. Walcha were then scheduled to play Quirindi at The Park in round two and
there was some fretting about the weather because rain was forecast and in the
event of no play, the home side is eliminated. This played out in an odd way.
Walcha continued on their way after defeating Quirindi at The Park, but the
weather did cause some problems. The home team compiled a handy 217 off just
37 overs after winning the toss and batting in the hope of getting enough runs
on the board, getting Quirindi in, and then bowling enough overs to constitute a
match. Captain and opener Ed Blomfield hit 68 and was well supported by first
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drop Kyle Goodwin (34) and they put on 111 for the second wicket. Chris Watts
and Allan Vagg in the middle order both contributed 20. Walcha then restricted
the visitors to 1-53 off 22 overs, Will Fletcher snaring the only wicket to fall while
Luke Brennan bowled eight overs for 14 runs, Chris Watts seven overs for 21
runs, Allan Vagg three overs for five runs and Tony Blake two overs for two runs.
Brains and fielding were the key. Walcha’s total was good in the circumstances
and the strangulation in the field continued. Quirindi were 14 runs short of their
projected total when the rain came. Walcha moved on the next round, against
Moree.
The match was scheduled for Gunnedah and in typical Walcha fashion “. . .
team members that aren’t attending the Tim Stackman and Sarah Steel wedding
in Tamworth on Saturday will leave the Newsagency at 7am on Sunday”. Walcha
made it through to the next round. Kyle Goodwin (63) and Pete Mooney (43) were
involved in a 120-run partnership and Walcha reached 209. Rain intervened and
Walcha were awarded the match as Moree were the “home” team. Herb Laurie
always reckoned you needed a little bit of luck to win Tablelands. For the record,
Walcha’s bowling and fielding would have made 209 a defendable total. Moree
were no morals to get that.
Walcha thus progressed to the next round against Lower Clarence and on
December 3 defeated them at Laurieton with a combination of the 1950s-style
of relying on all-rounders and the 1970s style of fielding teams into submission.
Barry Hoy opened and knocked up 45. He’s a ’keeper all-rounder and he picked
up four catches behind the sticks. Nathan Goodwin batting at no.6 top-scored
with 53 otherwise it was a dismal card and Walcha totalled 142. But runs on the
board are like money in the bank and tight bowling backed up in the field allowed
Walcha to restrict Lower Clarence to 100. Will Fletcher bowled nine overs and
picked up 5-22, Tony Blake bowled eight overs and picked up 2-33, Luke Brennan,
10 overs, 2-23, Allan Vagg four overs, 0-17; Nathan Goodwin three overs, 1-17
and Chris Watts four overs, 0-14.
Walcha took the responsibility of making the semis seriously enough in the
weeks before that players not only practised as a squad, but some travelled to
Armidale for a net against a bowling machine. The Walcha Tyre Service, the
Bowling Club and Vet Supplies came good with sponsorship and the team were
suitably kitted out in shirts and caps. Walcha were then scheduled to play topseeds Blue Mountains at Yass on December 28. The other semi-finals was between
Murray Valley and Far South West with the winners to play the final the next
day. Walcha bussed it to Yass with the support of the town ringing in their ears.
All clubs in the competition were represented in the team: Ed Blomfield, Paul
Pittman, Allan Vagg and Will Fletcher from Colts; Barry Hoy, Nathan and Kyle
Goodwin from Round Swamp; Chris Watts and Cameron Sweeney from Bowling
Club; Tony Blake and Brad Partridge from Kentucky and Peter Mooney and Luke
Brennan from Rugby League. The Northern Daily Leader of Saturday, December
24, 2011 published a good report of Walcha’s progress and a great picture of Peter
Mooney during his innings of 42 against Moree under the heading “Walcha eyes
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off plate title”. Grant Robertson’s story read: “Peter Mooney has played in plenty
of Walcha rep sides over the years and also won premierships with the Rugby
League club in the Walcha News Cup.
“But he said making the semi-finals of the Country Plate and earning a crack
at the title in Yass is the high point of his time in the game locally.
“ ‘It’s the pinnacle,’ he said.
“ ‘And in the 150th year it doesn’t get much better.’
“The local association is celebrating that milestone this season and its bestever run in the Plate has been a great way to help mark the occasion. There has
been a bit of luck along the way, with a run-rate win over Quirindi and a rainaffected game against Moree in which Mooney scored 42, but there has also
been some good performances in which Walcha has defended totals of about 140
against Glen Innes and Lower Clarence. “ ‘A lot of people wrote us off,’ Mooney said. ‘We didn’t play the best against
Glen Innes, but we got around them, and against Moree in Gunnedah, they needed
five-and-a-half an over, so there was no guarantee they’d get there. “ ‘It was the same against Quirindi, where we scored 200-plus and won that
one. 200 is always a goal, but I’ve seen plenty of games of cricket where 140 is
good enough to win a game.’
“The strength of the team seems to be its depth in all areas. Virtually the
whole team can bowl and they almost all bat in the top order at club level. “ ‘We don’t rely on a couple of people,’ Mooney said. “ ‘We pretty much bat down to 11 and we can all bowl too.
“ ‘We’re not a classic cricket team that has two opening bowlers steaming in.
We’re more medium pacers.
“ ‘It means the batsmen have to do a bit of work.’ “Mooney is one of those medium pacers who will be called on. “The-36-year-old bowls left-arm seamers and bats right-handed, as does Tony
Blake. “They will support the likes of opening quick Will Fletcher and right-arm
seamers like Luke Brennan and Chris Watts. “Brad Partridge, Cameron Sweeney, Paul Pittman and Nathan Goodwin may
also be called on to bowl, while off-spinner Allan Vagg should also add some
variation.
“The semi-final is against number one seed Blue Mountains and with Murray
Valley and Far South West in the other semi, Walcha is probably the smallest
association represented.
“ ‘Walcha is only a small town,’ Mooney said. “ ‘We’ll be underdogs against Blue Mountains, and we probably were against
Lower Clarence in the last game. It’s only a small place and we only have five
teams in the comp.
“ ‘We’ve done pretty well. Maybe Blue Mountains and Lower Murray will
take Walcha lightly and it will backfire. But we have a good side and we’re ready
for the game.’” 238
The Northern Daily Leader provided excellent coverage of Walcha’s
progression and the back page of Wednesday, December 28 had big pictures of
Chris Watts and Barry Hoy and this report by Samantha Newsam.
“He might be in his 40s but Barry Hoy is still one of the best cricketers going
around and one of the cornerstones of Walcha rep sides for a number of years.
Today at Yass his time wearing the whites for the district side will reach new
heights when it plays Blue Mountains for a berth in the VB Country Plate final.
“It will be arguably the biggest game of the players’ careers – even Hoy’s.
While he’s played in countless grand finals – and even a few inter-town finals
– in more than two decades of rep cricket, he’s never made it to this point of the
statewide competition.
“ ‘To be doing all right in a statewide competition is pretty good,’ Hoy said.
‘It’s certainly up there as one of his cricketing highlights. The timing couldn’t
be better too, with Walcha cricket celebrating 150 years.
“ ‘It’d be nice to pull something off like this in this year,’ Hoy said. ‘It’d make
for a pretty good presentation.’ “They’ve enjoyed a few successes over the century and a half, and at times
have boasted one of the premier sides in the region. The most recent was probably
around the ’90s, when Hoy was just starting out playing rep.
“ ‘We made three finals (Mulligan Shield), three years in a row, when we had a
pretty good side,’ Hoy recalled. ‘Two were against Inverell, the other they played
Armidale. “ ‘Two we should have won. One we never looked like winning,’ Hoy said.
“There have been a few lean years since but things have turned around in a
big way this season. “ ‘I put it down to Eddie (Blomfield – skipper). He’s fairly tenacious and he
gets on top of people,’ Hoy said.
“The also-Walcha Rams coach drags up the average age of the side a bit and
even coached one of the side – Brad Partridge – in a junior team that his son, Tom
was playing in, but with that brings a lot of experience and a stable presence at
the top of the order.
“Their quarter-final against Lower Clarence he was a rock at the top and a big
part of the reason they managed to scramble their way to what turned out to be a
winning 142, and a semi-final berth. “ ‘Everyone seems pretty confident,’ Hoy said. ”
The inside page of Wednesday, December 28, 2011 was a great do-up. Under
the headline “A star team rather than team of stars” Samantha Newsam and Grant
Robertson wrote:
“The good thing about Walcha’s run to today’s VB Country Plate semi-final
against the Blue Mountains in Yass is the Eddie Blomfield-captained side hasn’t
been reliant on one or two players, veteran star Barry Hoy said. The Walcha stalwart said all the side had provided some key moments.
“ ‘Out of the four games someone has stood up and done the job,’ Hoy told
The Leader.
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“Last game it was him, Nathan Goodwin and Will Fletcher. “There is still a bit to work on though. “ ‘We’ve just got to bat out our 50 overs,’ Hoy said. “ ‘Because we only play 40 overs you don’t realise how long it is, that extra
10 overs.
“ ‘It doesn’t sound like that much. “ ‘But it’s a bit of a challenge to bat out that extra 10 overs.’ “But it can make a big difference and if they can stick it out for the 50 there’s
every reason to have faith in the bowlers to do the job – they have so far. “ ‘The bowling attack is good. There’s a bit of variety there,’ Hoy said. “ ‘We’ve got a couple of spinners and a couple of left-handers.’ “That’s always an advantage, he said, having that right-arm/left-arm mix. “He gets a pretty good view of what the bowlers, and the ball is doing from
behind the stumps, which he joked was because he was
‘too old and slow to run around the paddock’. “ ‘Their line has been pretty good,’ he said. “ ‘We haven’t given away too many wides.’ “They will be up against it, with Blue Mountains
seeded one, but that isn’t worrying Walcha.” Barry sounds like Truck and Herb and Peter
Fenwicke and Tom Leedham and . . .
An excellent player profile accompanied the article.
Walcha almost reached the summit of the mountain,
but ended up with the blues, after losing by 121 runs. Blue
Mountains made 5-232 off their 50 overs (Peter Mooney
2-36 off nine, Luke Brennan 1-36 off eight, Tony Blake
1-24 off seven, Ed Blomfield 1-52 off 10). Brad Partridge
batting at no.7 top-scored for Walcha with 21, Will
Fletcher made 20 at no.9. The fairy tale didn’t quite eventuate. Nothing wrong
with that. It was a gallant effort and put Walcha and Walcha cricket on the map.
The great side of 1956-57 failed in their first attempt at a War Veterans’ Cup. It’s
more important to put the effort in context. Were Blue Mountains playing in 1861
and should they have been in the Plate or the next tier up? Walcha is still playing
150 years on and still punching above its weight. The Leader’s story ran under
the headline “No dream finish for Walcha in Plate quest”. It read: “Country Plate
Semi-Final” by Samantha Newsam:
“Walcha couldn’t quite deliver the perfect present for its 150th celebrations,
going down to number one seeds Blue Mountains in its Country Plate semi-final
at Yass yesterday.
“The Ed Blomfield-skippered side was unable to chase down the competition
favourite’s 5-233 and progress to a historic first-ever final, replying with 111 after
the tail dug in. “It was the first time in the competition it had had to chase. In its previous four
wins Walcha had batted first and then successfully defended.
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“Yesterday Blue Mountains were the ones with the runs on the board and,
despite a pretty good bowling effort, a few more than they probably should have
had. “ ‘We didn’t field to our potential,’ Blomfield said. “They were guilty of letting a few extras slip by, and missing a few chances. “Still they did well to restrict them to what they did, Blomfield said, with the
foundation Blue Mountains had set. “ ‘They were only 2 for about 150 at the second drinks break,’ he said. ‘That
was after a 100-odd run third-wicket partnership.’ “The bowlers shared the wickets around, with Peter Mooney the only one
to claim multiple scalps. He snared 2-36 with his left-arm medium-pacers while
Luke Brennan picked up 1-36, Blomfield 1-52 and Tony Blake 1-24. “ ‘Everyone bowled pretty well,’ Blomfield said. “It was hard to go past
Mooney and Blake though. ‘Take out Blake’s second over, which went for 12, his
other six only cost 12 between them. “Their chase then took a bad turn early and, while the tail showed some sting,
they never really recovered.
“ ‘We didn’t go too bad considering,’ Blomfield said. “ ‘We just needed to get a few more runs at the top.’
“None of the top order was able to get set as, from 1-28, they quickly found
themselves 6-43. “That was what hurt them, losing such a big clump of wickets. “Blomfield said they were the result of a mix of good bowling and a couple
of poor shot selections but he couldn’t have been happier with the way the lower
order rallied.
Not for the first time in their campaign, Will Fletcher (20) led the way, along
with Brad Partridge, who Partridge top-scored with 21.
A
t the start of this era, Rob Blomfield, the best cricketer, and Norm
Goodwin, the best trundler, were the opening bowling pair for Walcha in
inter-district. They both reverted to bowling orthodox in the latter stages of their
careers. Maybe they figured that if the best bats in the Walcha district couldn’t
handle spin then no one else in the town comp could either. They probably added
a couple of hundred extra scalps to their belts. Talk about play it hard. The other
great player of the era and the man so important to keeping the game going at all
levels, Rob Laurie, bowled leggies from the start.
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Country Specials
and Emu Parades
“Peter was our lone representative from the Tablelands and he brought
added prestige to your mountain town and district.”
Northern Tablelands Cricket Council secretary Mr S.G. Gunson
W
alcha cricket has produced four Country representatives since World War
II. It should have been five, but for the keenness to play, tour and win. The
Country versus Metropolitan fixture has been in place since 1895 and Walcha has
been providing representative cricketers from at least 1904, with Harding from
Walcha Road, but I haven’t found reference to any Walcha players being selected
for Country before World War II. The area may have provided a “first-class” rep
in the 19th century given that the England touring teams played in Armidale.
But at the moment it stands at Peter Fenwicke, who also captained Country,
Neville Holstein, Lance Kermode and Rob Blomfield. Those four players were
also Emus, the distinguished and exclusive touring representative side chosen at
the completion of the J.S. White Colts Carnival in Tamworth played out between
North-West, Northern Tablelands, North Coast and Hunter Valley. Joining the
illustrious four as Emus from Walcha are Owen Sweeney and Stephen Goodwin.
Some of the cricketing exploits of the “super six” have been documented in the
previous two chapters, but following is some more information and highlights of
their careers and extracts from interviews.
P
eter Fenwicke was born on November 14, 1932, in Walcha, and died on April
25, 1987 aged 54 years 162 days. As the country song says, it’s not the dates on
the tombstone that count, but the little dash between ’em. What an extraordinary
life and sporting career he had. He made his rugby union Test debut as a flanker
against the All Blacks at the Sydney Cricket Ground on May 25, 1957. By that
stage he was not only the Combined Country rugby captain, but also the Combined
Country cricket captain as well. He was selected for the 1957-58 Wallabies tour
of Britain, Ireland and France and an interesting clipping in Neville Holstein’s
wonderful cricket scrapbooks says ‘‘Peter Fenwicke scored his first try on the
Wallabies’ tour of the British Isles against Ulster on Saturday last’’. Fenwicke
went on to captain both NSW and Australia and played his last rugby Test against
the British and Irish Lions at the SCG on June 13, 1959. He was also a champion
tennis player, golfer and rifle shooter.
In 1937, James White from the property Edinglassie in the Hunter Valley
captained and managed the Muswellbrook District Colts XI to Sydney, which
included a match on the SCG against a NSWCA XI. George Garnsey, our old mate
from the Sunny Jim Mackay story, but by now an official, turned up to introduce
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himself and noting a gangly looking fellow in the bush squad remarked that the
team looked like a bunch of long-legged Emus. Jim White didn’t forget it and
thereafter his teams were unofficially known as the Emus and he used an Emu for
the blazer badge and caps. He helped resurrect cricket in the Hunter Valley after
the Second World War and his name was given to the carnival at Tamworth for
matches between the representative Colts teams of the Hunter Valley, North-West,
North Coast and Northern Tablelands. On their way home from New Zealand in
1957 the side of which Neville Holstein was a part, realised they were about to
say goodbye to “Emuising” and discussed forming a club for the “oldies”. It was
officially recognised by the NSWCA in 1958. Like Cliff Wheaton, Jim White’s
role in not just northern NSW, but indeed state and Australian cricket should
not be underestimated. Cliff Wheaton wanted to preserve the British Empire,
Jim White’s aim through the Emus was ‘‘to provide an important agent towards
inspiring young men with a correct proportionate outlook on their civic, social and
sporting lives’’. Walcha cricket to a tee.
Peter Fenwicke returned from the King’s School to the Colts club in the very
strong post-War competition and in his first season was straight into the solid
Walcha inter-district side. He was the genuine deal as an all-rounder, bowling
left-arm orthodox spin, sometimes at medium-slow, and batting right-handed, and
was soon selected in the New England team. He made his Emu debut in 1950-51
and was the second Emu captain. His Emu career shows he batted nine times with
one not out for 138 runs at 17.25 with a top score of 39. He took seven catches,
bowled 93.4 overs with nine maidens for 358 runs scored and 30 wickets at 11.93;
his best a 7-34. He was chosen along with Neville Holstein for the Emus’ tour
of Malaya in 1959, but declined. Some of his feats are recorded in the previous
chapter: winning the Walcha A-grade bowling averages and captaining the
Walcha inter-district and New England XIs. In the 1955-56 and 1956-57 seasons
he represented Combined Country in the annual matches against Metropolitan
at the SCG. His batting average in the Walcha competition in the 1956-57 season
was 211 and his aggregate 422. In his five matches he hit 133 not out, 121 not out,
151 not out, 5 and 12. He didn’t qualify for the batting average, but was awarded
the bowling average, taking 24 wickets at 5.45. In the 1956-57 semi-final against
Round Swamp he took 8-27 off 12 overs and then in the final against Riamukka he
took 5-7 in the second dig. In inter-district cricket in the same season among other
heroics he hit 123 against Guyra (seven sixes, eight fours) and took 7-26 in New
England’s second inning when Walcha won the Northern Tablelands Zone final.
As recorded, the Northern Tablelands Cricket Council secretary Mr S.G. Gunson
extolled the virtues, but to recap:
‘‘You have further great claim to be proud of your cricketing sportsmen as
Peter Fenwicke again represented NSW Country XI versus the Metropolitan XI
at the Sydney Cricket Ground this year. Peter was our lone representative from
the Tablelands and he brought added prestige to your mountain town and district.
“We cannot allow the occasion to pass without reference to Neville Holstein’s
243
great tour to New Zealand. I have before me Jim White’s report of the tour and
he speaks in laudatory terms of Neville’s great innings against Southland Colts
at Invercargill, against Central Otago at Alexandra and South Island Colts at
Christchurch.’ ”
Worth recapping too, that when Peter was selected to play for Combined
Country against Metropolitan in 1956-57, he delayed his flight plans to Sydney for
the match to Monday morning, just to play for Colts on the Sunday.
The three Northern Cricket Councils played a trial match at Narrabri and
selected a Northern Inland team to play North Coast on January 17 and 18, 1957
in Lismore and Peter Fenwicke and Neville Holstein were included. Believe it or
not they actually failed occasionally. Playing for Northern NSW against Coast
at Grafton in 1957 Peter did get some wickets, but he only scored 1 and 0 while
Neville scored 2 and 4. I’m not privy to every match they ever played together,
but I’d wager a large sum that was the only time the pair of them failed twice in a
two-innings game. Those Coast boys would have been celebrating. An interesting
match was played at Tamworth in 1957 when the North and North-West Colts who
had toured New Zealand with Jim White earlier in the year met and defeated a side
selected from members of other teams that had travelled with Mr White. It pitted
Neville Holstein against old boy Peter Fenwicke and Fenwicke claimed Holstein
lbw in taking 3-85, but not before Holstein had scored 31. In the 1958-59 Walcha
final Peter Fenwicke hit 127, including 15 fours and two sixes, in Colts’ 290 against
Round Swamp and continued his remarkable feats by taking 6-27 and then backed
up with 46. In 1959, Neville Holstein, then aged 22, and Fenwicke were picked
for the Emus’ tour to Malaya for July of that year, but Fenwicke stayed home
and was again picked as Country rugby union captain. In 1959 too, Peter played
cricket for Combined No.2, which beat the Combined No.1 team in a Country
Week trial at Narrabri. In the local competition he won the batting averages for
the 1959-60 season with 48.3. The report of proceedings for the 1960-61 season
noted: “A very creditable performance by Peter Fenwicke in the A-grade intertown competition. He finished second in the batting with an average of 42.75 and
second in the bowling with an average of 13.26.
“I would congratulate Neville Holstein on his very good performances during
the Emu world tour.”
Peter and Neville blazed their way through inter-district cricket for a few more
years. In 1961-62 against Tenterfield, Walcha posted 255, with Peter Fenwicke 62
not out and Neville Holstein 59 and then Peter took 4-19. There was the picture
in the Armidale Express in 1963, with the caption: “Peter Fenwicke of Walcha,
former international footballer and competent cricketer, pleased with his success
against New England at Armidale on Sunday. His own contribution was shrewd
captaincy and seven wickets for 72 from tantalising left-arm spinners.” In a loss
to Inverell at The Park in the 1962-63 season, he picked up 7-41 in Inverell’s 190
and came to the crease with Walcha at 6-45. He scored 81 in 69 minutes and was
out with 15 minutes to go. Neville Holstein rates this innings as one of the best
he’s seen. Then there was the 11-23 against Guyra (6-8 and 5-15). Peter took 5-51
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in the War Veterans’ Cup win over Tamworth Blue in 1962-63 and in a stellar
performance, 6-36 against Tasmania in 1963. Herb Laurie rates this as Peter’s
best-ever bowling performance. He then seems to have dropped off the cricketing
radar, but toured the world with Old Collegians in 1964.
“It made the game easy.” Neville Holstein, the first time he played on a turf wicket.
N
eville Holstein’s scrapbooks are as beautifully and thoughtfully compiled as
one of his centuries. There are flourishes of activity with scoreboards and
articles that send a very strong message, like consecutive boundaries, and other
slightly nuanced pieces that consolidate the innings. All fascinating. One man’s
cricket career from 1952 to 1997 in newsprint, 33,000-plus runs and counting
from how many teams, tours and grounds around the world?
At the back of the third scrapbook are all his individual scores, handwritten.
It’s worth looking at his scores of 50-plus efforts in club and some representative
games while he was playing in the Walcha competition. He came into the
Riamukka team in 1952 and opened his account with a neat 50 against the old
enemy Round Swamp in a “Cup” match and followed it up with another half-ton
(54) against the other Riamukka side in a knockout match. He was selected for the
East Zone of the Walcha comp a couple of weeks later and hit 34 against West and
soon after in consecutive games hit 86 against Commercial, 104 against Walcha
Road (there’s a little confusion here – the handwritten entry has this in 1952-53,
the written year above the newspaper clipping, has it as 1954) and 100 neat against
the other Riamukka team. A stellar career was launched and he finished his first
season with 653 runs at an average of 36. In the 1953-54 season his best efforts
were 153 against Nowendoc and 102 not out against Commercial in a season in
which he scored 803 runs. In 1954-55 his best efforts were 62 in a second innings
against Round Swamp, 65 against Commercial and 58 against Walcha Road, but
he opened the 1955-56 season with 107 against Nowendoc, his only local ton of the
season, and notched 81 against Round Swamp. In 1956-57 his first big score was in
a district match against Guyra, 96, and he also picked up 67 in a trial game against
Guyra, 72 against Nowendoc and 54 against Inverell. In 1957-58 he opened the
season with 78 retired against Nowendoc, hit 156 not out against Round Swamp
and played in representative games for Northern Tablelands against North-West
(5), Combined North-West, North Coast and Northern Tablelands (7 and 68 not
out) and Inland against the Coast (37). He also scored 100 against Guyra, 103
against Glen Morrison, 73 against Commercial, 104 not out against Commercial
and 73 in the second dig against Colts. All up, 1357 runs for the ’57-58 season at
47. In 1958-59 his best were 59 against Colts, 93 against Nowendoc, 79 against
Inverell and 123 not out against Commercial.
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In 1959-60 he scored 62 not out against Colts, 83 against Inverell, 70 not out
in a second dig against Nowendoc, and 111 not out against Colts. In 1960-61 he
hit 75 against Nowendoc, 75 not out for Northern Tablelands against North-West,
50 against Round Swamp, 50 against Commercial, 79 against Round Swamp, 69
not out for Northern Tablelands against North-West in the second dig, 119 against
Colts, 108 not out against Ingleba, 65 against Inverell, 76 and 58 against Colts in the
one match, 96 in the first innings against Swamp and 125 not out against Ingleba.
All up, 1389 runs at an average of 63. In 1961-62 he hit 93 against Nowendoc, 62
not out against Commercial, 123 not out against Inverell, 52 against Tenterfield, 77
against Colts, 59 not out Glen Innes, 54 against Colts, and 59 against Tenterfield.
In 1962-63 he opened the season with 116 against Nowendoc and picked up a 71
against Guyra. In 1963-64 he scored 85 against Nowendoc, 56 against Ingleba,
76 against Round Swamp, 62 not out against Armidale, 58 against Colts and 88
against Commercial. The 1964-65 season was productive in district cricket with
a 58 against Armidale, 71 against Guyra, 98 against Tenterfield, 53 in a Far-North
West fixture, 85 in a combined zones fixture, 48 against Glen Innes, 63 against
Guyra, 96 against Peel Valley, 94 against Coffs Harbour and he also knocked up
100 not out against Colts and 127 not out against Commercial for a season total
of 1292 runs at 53. In 1965-66 he started the season with 84 against Quirindi,
93 against Nowendoc, 63 not out in a second dig against Nowendoc, 126 against
Ingleba and 98 not out against Commercial before going on for scores of 63 against
Colts, 76 against Colts, 125 not out against Nowendoc, 108 not out against Inverell,
92 against Colts, 79 against Ingleba, 69 and 78 in a match against Round Swamp
and 44 against Attunga, for 1590 runs at 79.
In 1966-67 he hit 56 not out against Round Swamp 60 not out against Ingleba,
128 not out against Commercial, 53 against Commercial 63 against Glen Innes,
and 50 not out against Colts in a season where he carried his bat for nine not
outs and 933 runs for an average of 49. In 1967-68 he hit 149 against Nowendoc,
67 against Glen Innes, 53 against Armidale, 133 against Round Swamp, 141 not
out against Ingleba, 74 against Glen Innes and 104 against Nowendoc for 1142
runs at 45. In 1968-69 he opened with 106 not out against Colts and hit 76 not
out against Round Swamp, 130 not out against Guyra, 52 not out against Rugby
Union, 89 against Nowendoc, 100 not out against Walcha Road, 69 not out against
Colts, 50 not out against Walcha Road, 79 against Rugby Union, 80 not out against
Nowendoc, and 58 against Nowendoc for 1247 runs at 62. In 1969-70 he scored 68
not out against Rugby Union, 86 against Rugby Union, 185 against Attunga and 58
for Walcha against Tamworth in the War Veterans’ Cup final.
In 1970-71 he was playing in the Gloucester competition as well so I’ll record
the best of those scores too until he leaves the Walcha comp fulltime for a whole
other career in Gloucester. The Gloucester comp was played on Saturdays and
Walcha on Sundays and he was definitely playing district cricket for Walcha as
well. His first big score in ’70-71 was 72 not out against Round Swamp, and then
114 not out for Nowendoc against Gloucester, 116 not out against Walcha Road,
135 not out against Commercial, 65 not out against Round Swamp, 51 against
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Glen Innes and 79 against Commercial, 948 runs at 55. In 1971-72 his best were
60 against Walcha Road, 68 against Pipers Flat in Gloucester, 54 against Round
Swamp, 84 against Round Swamp, 50 against Gloucester, and 65 not out against
Round Swamp. The Riamukka club had folded and he finished his career in
Walcha playing for Nowendoc. The 1972-73 season was his last in the Walcha
comp and his best scores were 105 not out against Colts, 112 against Gloucester,
137 for Gloucester district against Singleton, 92 against Rawdon Vale, 55 against
Pipers Flat, 113 not out against Round Swamp, 62 against Rawdon Vale, 110 not
out against Sydney grade club Sutherland for Gloucester, 58 against Wards River,
60 against Round Swamp and 58 against Old Buffers. Another 1000-run season,
1326 in fact at 55. Thereafter he played fulltime in the Gloucester comp.
The astonishing thing about this is that I’ve only recorded the 50-plus scores.
He made myriad 30s and 40s. In fact, in a 45-year career you could almost count
on one hand the number of times he was dismissed for a duck, and it was very rare
that he failed to get some sort of start. The one duck recorded in handwriting is for
Combined Country against City in 1960-61.
Neville Holstein had been selected for Combined Country in 1958 and 1959
and before that was a member of the Emu “Test” team in 1956, which toured New
Zealand in 1957. On that tour he secured the second-top aggregate and average.
The Emu Club’s official stats for Holstein’s debut in 1955-56 read 15 innings with
two not outs for 321 runs at 24.69, top score of 69 not out; seven catches; four overs
with 0 maidens for 13 runs scored and one wicket, average 13.00, best 1-13. There
is a great photo in one of his scrapbooks of the four Emus picked for Country
against Metropolitan at the SCG in 1958.
“I played for Country three times,” said Neville. “Country Firsts once and
Country Seconds twice. First time I opened, with Country Firsts, next time I
batted at no.5. But I still couldn’t get any runs.”
Neville is dismissive of his bowling ability, but the scorebooks don’t lie and
there’s no reason he should not be considered a genuine all-rounder. It’s amazing
the amount of times he took crucial wickets at all levels of the game. And then
there is his fielding. Fellow Country representative Robert Blomfield reckons one
of the things that set Neville apart from other cricketers was his incredible slips
fielding. You have to feel sorry for Nowendoc, Round Swamp and Ingleba. It seems
he never failed to score against them. He was also obviously a big-match player.
He steered club, district and higher representative sides to victory in crucial games
and as his scrapbooks show continued to do the same for Gloucester rep teams. All
this was on top of a representative tennis career. Neville’s scrapbooks also reveal that he and Reynold Mullen from Riamukka
along with Roy Chandler from Round Swamp were chosen to represent Northern
Tablelands against North-West, and that he (Neville) would be vice-captain.
Another clipping shows Neville gaining selection in a combined Hunter Valley,
North-West, Northern Tablelands side to play Combined Coast in Inverell and that
the match would be watched by state selectors and the Combined Country to play
Metropolitan was to be chosen after the match.
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The book Nowendoc written by Neville’s wife, and sister-in-law, notes his
selection in the Emus, his tours of New Zealand in 1957, Malaya in 1959 and the
World Tour in 1961. Peter Fenwicke’s Emu Club Statistical Records 1949-1963
includes Neville Holstein and Neil Frame’s record fourth-wicket partnership of
141 in New York on the World Tour of 1961 when Neville scored 115 against
Staten Island and was lobbing balls onto the courts of the prestigious tennis club
next door. After tossing a few balls back the exasperated tennis crowd mentioned
that he mustn’t be able to hit the ball very straight, meaning keep it on your field.
Neville replied by hitting the next delivery straight . . . straight through the front
door of the clubhouse. Also recorded in the Emu stats are Neville’s 1396 runs, one
of the few to top a 1000, his 24 sixes and 74 fours for 440 in boundaries out of a
World Tour aggregate of 706 runs with a runs scored in boundaries ratio of 62.32
per cent. In 1984, after his ‘‘second’’ career, he was presented with a plaque from
the Gloucester Cricket Association by J.S. White for his contribution to cricket.
Now to the newspapers and some of his representative performances.
One report is headed “Edinglassie Shield Retained by N-W’’ from the Colts
carnival at which Neville was selected for the New Zealand tour said: “There was
a lot of good cricket in the match between Northern Tablelands and Hunter Valley,
despite that Hunter Valley won very easily.
‘‘Tablelands made 171, N. Holstein playing magnificent cricket for his 95. His
was one of the best of the carnival.’’
Another newspaper article “Another Holstein Succeeds” reported: “Neville
Holstein, a member of the well-known Walcha tennis family, showed at Tamworth
over the weekend that the family’s activities are not confined solely to tennis.
“Playing in the junior cricket carnival yesterday, he made a glorious 95 at the
rate of a run a minute. In the three innings at the carnival he scored 31, 33 and 95,
giving him an average of 53.
“At each appearance he gave a good display, but his effort yesterday was easily
his best.”
The report goes on to analyse his batting and tennis and then gives a brief
overview of the achievements of the family. After batting well for Northern
Tablelands Colts at the J.S. White Carnival in Tamworth in 1957 Neville was
chosen in the Northern NSW junior team for a six-match tour of New Zealand. The
tour received extensive coverage on both sides of the Tasman. All the clippings are
well-maintained and it’s worth quoting from some of the papers.
“P.A. INVERCARGILL, Jan 27
“A brilliant display of aggressive batting by Neville Holstein enabled Northern NSW
colts to beat Southland colts by six wickets at Invercargill on Saturday. A sporting
declaration by Southland had left NSW 55 minutes in which to score 106 runs for
victory and the team reached the objective with 10 minutes to spare.
“Holstein, who made 69 not out including two sixes and 10 fours was chaired off the
field by his team-mates at the end of the match.”
Another take on Holstein’s batting in New Zealand on the Emu tour. Jim
White did more than just “manage” the Northern NSW Colts sides chosen from
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the carnival named after him, he paid for the fares of the whole team when they
toured New Zealand. He must have thought his money was well spent judging
from this report.
“Writing from New Zealand the manager of the Northern NSW Colts team
(Mr Jim White) describes what he calls a ‘fairy tale’ finish to the match against
Southland.
“Mr White says: ‘We were left with 56 minutes in which to collect 110 runs.
“ ‘We sent in N. Holstein (Walcha) and P. Cummins (Barraba). At the end of
the fourth over we were 29 for none – Holstein 29.
“ ‘The last ball of the 10th over Holstein hit for the winning runs to make his
score 70 not out in 48 minutes.’
“Mr White says he could not imagine a finer innings. Holstein hit 11 fours and
three ‘colossal’ sixers.
“Spectators claimed it the best innings seen on the Invercargill ground. “Mr White says the score was made against two fast bowlers using a new ball.
In one over, Holstein hit four consecutive balls through the covers to the boundary,
and he followed them up with a six over the bowler’s head from as fast a ball as
any bowled by Ross Taylor. “Mr White goes on to say: ‘At the end of the match the people stood and cheered
Holstein. Those near the stand formed a double row and clapped the batsman as he
made his way from the ground.’
‘‘Mr White says Holstein’s innings was chanceless and he did not once make
a faulty shot.’’
Not much more you can say really apart from the fact that the cover drive
probably sets apart the great from the very good. It’s cricket’s classic shot and the
classic batsmen have it to themselves. It’s one thing to attempt a run chase and
“go the tonk”, quite another to play in classic style. Another point. Herb Laurie
reckons Nev Holstein was good enough to play Sheffield Shield, especially for
his ability to ‘‘annihilate’’ spin bowling. But you don’t score as many runs as Nev
without a technique to handle the quick stuff. The reports above are from early
on in his career, but he was obviously the compete batsman. Another report of the
match reveals Neville and Cummins equal top-scored in the first dig with 52 each
and goes on to describe his match-winning knock in the second as ‘‘a brilliant
display of aggressive batting’’.
It says: “The left-handed Holstein freely attacked Southland’s pace bowlers, R.
Thompson and R. Nicholson, and at the end of the innings had made 69 out of 109.
He hit two sixes and 10 fours. His teammates chaired him off the field at the end
of the match.” It picks up later: “Holstein put NSW on top from the start by taking
nine from Nicholson’s first over and 20 from the first six balls from Thompson.
After four overs, 45 runs had been scored and although the scoring slackened as
wickets fell through batsmen forcing the pace, the Australians never looked likely
to fail in their bid.
“With the score on 87, Holstein hit three successive fours off Thompson and
two balls later banged him over mid-on for six.
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“The winning single came up in the next over.”
The tourists then went on to play Central Otago Colts in Dunedin and led by
72 runs at stumps on day one rolling the Kiwis for 120 and declaring at 8-192. In
the New Zealand press the match received wide coverage, including: “N. Holstein
joined Fraser and this partnership carried the score on to 101 when, on the last
ball before tea, Holstein, who had been batting brilliantly, was caught in the slips
off the bowling of Dunn for 43, made in 39 minutes.” Another report said: “The
feature of the NSW innings was a hard hit 52 by L. Gough and good stands by
the opening batsmen P. Herdon (23) and B. Fraser (35). N. Holstein, star of the
Southland match, made 43.”
Neville was included in the 15-man Emu squad to tour Malaya in July 1959.
The squad was announced by Emu Club patron Mr J.S. White and followed
on from Neville’s Emu selection in 1956 and his Emu tour of New Zealand in
1957. Neville was also selected for Combined Country in 1958 and 1959. In 1959,
when Walcha cricketers and supporters gathered at the New Royal Hotel on a
Friday night for the annual dinner, it was unanimously decided to present a bat to
Neville for his forthcoming tour of Malaya. Also in the squad was schoolboy Stan
Gilchrist, whose son turned out to be fairly handy.
A Singapore newspaper described the 1959 Emus as future Australian Test
prospects when they flew in for their five-week tour of Malaya. In the match
against a Malayan Cricket Association team they didn’t disappoint. Skipper and
opener John Hayward scored 56, Peter Davidson (cousin of Alan) hit 120 and
Pat Cummins 118, John Henderson 40 and Neville remained 23 not out as they
went on the rampage and scored 5-385 by stumps on day one. Norman Siebel
then reported from Kuala Lumpur that the Emus declared at 5-451 (Davidson
120, Cummins 118, Hayward 56, Henderson 40). “This morning, Emu carrying on
from the overnight 385 for five, added 66 runs without further loss in 35 minutes
before the declaration was made at 451 for five. The innings lasted 380 minutes
altogether. Holstein’s 55 not out was made in 44 minutes with seven fours.”
In the match at Kuantan against Pahang the locals were dismissed for 83 and
were 6-102, but the highlight of the day was Neville’s 70 in 52 minutes including
three sixes and seven fours in the Emus’ 4(dec)-134. In the match against Penang,
Neville recorded a rare duck in the first dig but was second top-score in the second
with 30 in a chase for quick runs to set up an outright. The report from Malacca by
A. Sripathy is headed “Emu score 111 in 70 min to win” and reads: “The touring
Emu Club cricket team from Australia took only 70 minutes to score 111 runs for
the loss of four wickets to beat the Malacca-Johore combined team by six wickets
in a one-day match on the Malacca padang today.
“Malacca-Johore, who batted first, were all out for 110. At lunch, after the start
had been delayed by 20 minutes owing to rain, they were 97 for seven, scored in
105 minutes. Their whole innings lasted 130 minutes.
“When Emu lost their first three wickets quickly for only 13 runs an exciting
finish was in prospect.
“A lot of excitement did follow, but it came from the big-hitting of Holstein
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and Cummins who came together in a fourth-wicket partnership which added 93
in 54 minutes.
“After they had hoisted the first 50 in 40 minutes, they hit off the next 50 in 15
minutes before Holstein was out for 72, which included five sixes and five fours, in
54 minutes.” And so it goes on, the “Emu” declaring at 8-192.
The Emus maintained their unbeaten run in their final match when they
snatched an exciting 130-run win over Selangor on the Kuala Lumpur Padang.
In the second innings of 6(dec)-227 Holstein top-scored and remained 74 not out,
collecting 40 of those in boundaries. In the 10-game tour, the Emus won seven and
drew three. Neville topped the batting averages, scoring 352 runs from 11 innings
with three not outs for an average of 44.
In 1961 Neville was selected for the Emus’ world tour taking in two games
in the United States and 18 in Canada before flying to England to be hosted by
the MCC at the Lord’s Test, visiting Wimbledon for the tennis, and playing the
Home Counties before heading to Scotland. They were then off to the Netherlands
through the Continent, and stopped over for matches in Singapore, Malaya and
Hong Kong on the way home.
Under the heading ‘‘Neville Holstein Proves Hero Of Aussies’ Win’’ is a
report by Scotty Harper in the Winnipeg paper.
“I’m going to have a spot of tea,’’ said Neville Holstein in his London Cockney
twang, characteristic of the Australians, as he entered the pavilion at Assiniboine
Park Wednesday afternoon.
“And the stockily-built 24-year-old Digger from Walcha, New South Wales,
deserved his spot of tea. It was his brilliant 43, which had a big say in the Emus
defeating a Winnipeg XI 86 runs to 72 in the one-day cricket match.
“Actually the young Aussies won by two wickets.
“After the Winnipeg chappies were all dismissed for an indifferent 72, the
situation was anything but bright for the Emu boys for they had lost five wickets
for a paltry 15 runs. That was half their team gone.
“But going in fifth in the batting order, the Walcha kid started smacking
the local lads’ bowling all over the lot. He hit a pair of boundaries (that’s four
runs) in succession, and with the help of Neil Frame and Davie Rutherford, who
contributed an indifferent 10 and 1 runs respectively, the Diggers pulled the game
out of the fire.
‘‘Needing five runs to win the game, Holstein cracked a vicious blow past
the boundary flags for a four and came back with a single to send 73 up on the
scoreboard. That was all it needed to beat Winnipeg’s 72 by 14 runs with still two
wickets to fall.’’
The report finished by saying the Emus have won all seven of their matches so
far and were off to Toronto and then England.
And back to the New England. In the 1961-62 season Neville was in devastating
form for Walcha in an inter-district match against Inverell when they chased down
the clock to win by six wickets and 13 runs at The Park. Set 180 in 160 minutes,
Walcha achieved the result with 15 minutes to spare on a heavy ground. Holstein
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finished with 123 not out, which included six sixes and seven fours, and in the last
over of the match lost two balls. He dispatched them on the full into the Apsley
River.
This sort of stuff went on for another decade in Walcha and then for another 20
years after that in Gloucester. It’s a testimony to his appreciation of the history of
the game that Neville Holstein kept so many scoreboards and clippings of matches
in which he or his family had no involvement. Interestingly, given all the stuff
he could’ve included in his scrapbooks, Neville has Peter Fenwicke’s wedding
and Wallaby selection, Andy Laurie’s Wallaby selection, a few cuttings about
his sisters’ tennis feats, some clippings about Eric Higgins, and his brother and
father’s deaths. An appreciation of the person, of sporting friends who made it to
the top, and in his heart of hearts perhaps a thought that Australian or at least state
representation was the level he too might have attained?
“Orr Jesus there was trouble.”
Herb Laurie
H
erb Laurie played for the Walcha inter-district side for many years and Northern Tablelands 16 times, eight as captain. He didn’t play for NSW Country,
but he should have. He tells his story.
“I was picked with Lance [Kermode] after we put on 177 against Far NorthWest out at Walgett. I got on all right with that Chegwyn [the famous sate cricket
selector Jack Chegwyn). He came and he said well that was the match between
Northern Tablelands and Far North West and he said well you and Lance have put
on 177 and you’ve been captain for years, so he said you and Lance will be opening
bats for either Country Firsts or Country Seconds.”
Despite Jack Chegwyn’s word, Herb still had to go through the formality of
another trial.
“Where were we? In Tasmania playing cricket with Wheaton’s.”
Herbie enjoyed some great times with Wheaton’s, but he’d also given a lot too
and it seems unfair the organisation denied him the chance of Country selection.
Herb picks up the story. “Orr Jesus there was trouble. Billy Wayte played in that as our wicketkeeper
and when he started playing grade cricket in Sydney he was suspended for 12
months for not turnin’ up at that Country trial. We were down there in Tasmania
and we couldn’t get home.”
How come?
“We knew the trial was on and we told Col Wall who was our manager and
he said ‘I can’t you get you on a plane’. But I often wonder if he didn’t want to keep
us down there, because there was a game scheduled against Tasmanian Colts up
in Deloraine.
“So depending on how we went against Hunter Valley I was either going to be
in Country Firsts or Seconds and as captain. Instead of playing for the Tablelands
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I was playing for Wheaton’s in Tasmania.
“The 177 partnership with Lance was my last game for the Tablelands. That
was in latter years, I was getting on a bit in those days.”
That’s a relative statement. In the mid-’60s Herb would only have been 30-odd
and he played into his 60s.
“When I went to England I was 57.
“Lance wasn’t on that Wheaton’s tour of Tasmania, but half the team that was
picked for the Country trial were in Tasmania. I wasn’t the only one. There were
three or four of us. Clancy Griffiths, the fast left-hander from Guyra, he was down
there too.
“We ruined a match for the state selectors.”
Herb was instrumental in Wheaton’s tours and left a legacy for son Rob.
Neville Holstein’s scrapbook lists two Wheaton’s teams for the one tour. One side
included Herb Laurie, Max Holstein, Nev Holstein, Roy Chandler and Ren Mullen,
and in the other, presumably a colts side, were Ron Green, Lance Kermode and
Ross Kermode. Cliff Wheaton was manager and Wally Miller secretary and they
had matches scheduled for Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Wauchope, Taree, Dungog,
Maitland, and Singleton. Walcha cricketers have been instrumental in maintaining
the great legacy of Wheaton’s and Herb was at the forefront of establishing the
legacy. A shame it denied him a Country cap.
“. . . another demon fast bowler or tricky spinner.”
Lance Kermode
A
farewell and presentation was tendered to Lance Kermode by fellow
cricketers and friends at Cairnie, the home of Mr and Mrs A.C. Fletcher,
as the elegant right-hander prepared to leave with the Emus on their 1966
world tour. Kermode at that stage joined Neville Holstein as only the second
Walcha player to gain selection for such a tour. A report of the function read: “Lance is a son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Kermode of Heathcote.
“The evening was a very informal one, but at an appropriate time Mr Fletcher
said it had been a pleasure and a privilege to have played cricket with and against
Lance.
“Mr Fletcher said Lance’s trip would take him to Canada, England, India,
Pakistan, Singapore and Malaya.”
Former association president Viv Partridge was also present.
“Not many get the opportunity to go abroad,” he said. “This is a great incentive
for younger people to take up the game, and if it only entices two or three more to
take it up, then it has done a great thing.”
Lance was presented with a bat and he then offered his thanks to all involved.
“I would also like to thank mum and dad for the opportunity they have given
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me over the years to play cricket and other
sports,” he said.
“They have never denied me the
opportunity to play.”
Lance Kermode made his Emu debut 196162 and as we know, went on the World Tour in
1966. He played for NSW Country in 1965-66,
but there’s no doubt Queensland were chasing
him as a Sheffield Shield opener after his
performances at Brisbane Country Week with
Wheaton’s. Barossa Pearl aside. The amount
of goodwill surrounding him is extraordinary.
In researching this book, the two constants
were how hard the game was played, and doing
justice to Lance’s legacy. The player to follow
him as a Country rep, Rob Blomfield, was one
of many who urged me not to forget how good
Lance Kermode was. We’re a richer society
for celebrating his enigmatic genius. To that On his way: lance Kermode, second from
end Herb Laurie made a trip to Tamworth and front at right, flying with the Emus.
researched Lance’s record to corroborate his own memory. As much as anything
else Herb is sustained by those days of walking to the wicket with Lance, watching
from the non-striker’s end, and sharing a beer at play’s end. Love’s a gift that
surely handmade. Warwick Fletcher made a special trip to town to track down the
scores Lance made in his last season. It all shows the respect Lance garnered. As
his brother Alan Kermode said of Lance’s death: “I still think about it every day.”
And then: “You talk to Herbie Laurie. He knew him. He opened the batting with
him.” I did. Here’s some of the information that Herbie Laurie was kind enough
to contribute.
Playing in his first major match for the Northern Tablelands XI, at Quirindi,
Lance was having trouble batting against Bruce Weissel, a good leg-spinner and
captain of the North-West XI and was advised to play forward and kill the spin.
Unfortunately Lance didn’t play forward far enough and not only nicked the ball
and was caught by the wicketkeeper, he was also stumped. All Lance said was:
‘‘I couldn’t have been far enough forward.’’ That was his last duck in top-level
cricket.
Playing Ipswich in Brisbane Country Week a Wheaton’s XI was dismissed
on a wet wicket for 112. Ipswich replied with 113, their last bat being dropped at
111. In these matches cricket was played all day so the Wheaton’s XI were forced
to bat again on a drying and badly marked pitch. Don Bichel, the Queensland offspinner, should have been unplayable under the circumstances, but Lance, under
instructions to attack Bichel’s bowling, played a great innings and Wheaton’s were
0-110 at stumps and earned a bonus point. It is worth noting that Bichel did not
play any more matches at that year’s Country Week.
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Playing the following year at Brisbane Country Week, Lance scored a classy
112 against Monto, a team that included state quick Keith Ziebell. This innings
was classed by the Brisbane A-Grade umpire officiating as out of the top drawer,
and he informed us that a state selector would attend Wheaton’s next match to
watch Lance bat. Although Lance did not have a very good match, he was invited
to Brisbane for the following season to play A-grade with the possibility that he
would open the batting for Queensland after Christmas. Unfortunately because of
commitments to the family property, he turned down the offer.
Lance and Neville Holstein batting together for Northern Tablelands against
North-West at Quirindi put on a great partnership against the ‘‘mystery spinner’’
John Gleeson who finished with figures of 0-120 from nine overs. The following
season Gleeson was Australia’s main Test spinner. Playing for the Tablelands XI against a Tasmania XI who were touring in 1963
to gain experience for their entry to the Sheffield Shield, Lance was part of a
second-wicket partnership that put on 142 before lunch. This was the match against
Gary Brakey, who’d terrified the Poms not long before and was subsequently
labelled a chucker by them. Herb played with Lance in this partnership of 142
and neither of them considered Brakey threw the ball. This Tasmanian XI had
defeated: Queensland outright; the North Coast (of NSW) outright and in their
previous match a NSW XI outright. Northern Tablelands defeated them by an
innings and eight runs.
Playing for Northern Tablelands against North-West at Walgett, Lance scored
a century before lunch and finished with 120. Herb partnered Lance in this innings
and they put on 177, a record opening stand for the Tablelands XI.
Playing for the Walcha District XI against New England at Bellevue Oval at
the university, Lance suggested that Herbie keep strike against Armidale’s opening
quick Rennie Mullen because he’d played with and against him. Herb agreed, but
pointed out that the other opening bowler for Armidale was an A-grader from
Sydney and not only did he bowl very fast, but he had a delivery that cut from
the off and lifted sharply. The usual grin appeared on Lance’s face and he said
he would keep his head down and if possible score some runs. After six overs the
Sydney A-grader refused to continue bowling. He had figures of 0-72 and most of
the runs were scored by Lance.
‘‘These are only a few of my memories of playing cricket with Lance. He died
with years of cricket still to play and was a great loss to Ingleba, Walcha, Northern
Tablelands and Wheaton’s Touring Cricket Club. None of us who played with
Lance will forget his grin as he took strike to, as he called them, another demon
fast bowler or tricky spinner.’’ Lance was selected for Country Firsts to play Metropolitan in 1965-66 and in
a two-day mid-week game batted well, making 45 (eight fours) and 33 in a match
city won by 97 runs on the first innings. No wonder state selectors from NSW and
Queensland were interested in him.
“Lance played with Country and got a duck one time,’’ said Herb. Thanks for
that. Talk about play it hard. When Lance was rewarded with selection in Country
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Firsts in 1965-66, he was only second in the Walcha averages. Another Country
player, Neville Holstein, batted 12 times with three not outs compiling 766 runs
for an average of 85.11. Lance’s stats were 13 innings with three not outs for 651
runs at 65.10. Herb Laurie was third in the averages with 10 innings, two not outs,
452 runs at 56.50. The standard of Walcha cricket wasn’t too bad.
In the 1967-68 Walcha season Lance Kermode scored two centuries in two
days. He made 103 in Ingleba’s 4(dec)- 216 before Denis Wall, who Lance had
encouraged to bowl spin, took 5-23 in cleaning up Walcha Road for 95. Lance
then remained 114 not out in a total of 188 against Nowendoc. He scored a third
consecutive century in his next outing, 106 against Commercial on The Park
in Ingleba’s 210. Later in the season he scored 107 out of Ingleba’s 216 against
Nowendoc and 137 (Aiden Wall 104) in Ingleba’s 4-297 against Round Swamp.
Five club tons in his last season.
“My practice for the Country match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was
having one of the shearers throwing cricket balls to me, and I was hitting
them back into a netting fence.”
Rob Blomfield
R
ob Blomfield’s Emu Parade newsletter reported that “the Emu Club has
provided a trophy as a memorial to the late Lance Kermode and it will be
awarded to the outstanding Colt of the Year. Lance first became a member of the
Club in 1962 when he was selected in the Colts team to tour Tasmania. He was
a member of the 1966 World Tour team and scored 540 runs including a century
in Victoria in Canada. It was in this match that he broke a leg while fielding and
spent much of the tour on crutches.” Another section of the newsletter ‘‘Carnival
Highlights’’ includes these gems. ‘‘In 1956 Neville Holstein got more than half the
total runs scored by Northern Tablelands’’, and ‘‘Neville Holstein scored 131 runs
in 97 minutes in 1957.’’
Bloomie joined Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode as Emu World Tourist
and County rep. Despite spending half his teens playing on well-prepared
Armidale grounds, he was happy enough to come back from school and be playing
in Walcha.
“It was a privilege to play anywhere,’’ he said, such is his love of cricket.
That’s what he did, played anywhere, and everywhere, from manicured marvels
like Bellevue in Armidale and the Sydney Cricket Ground, to Round Swamp
‘‘where the cows do a pretty good job’’ and ’round the world . . . Canada, Sri
Lanka. Walcha and Bergen-Op-Zoom were probably named after places in the
Netherlands and Rob played Holland on a world tour. Bringing it all back home
so to speak.
“My practice for the Country match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was having
one of the shearers throwing cricket balls to me, and I was hitting them back into
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a netting fence. That was the only training I had because we were in the middle
of shearing at the time. I went from that to the SCG in 1974. [Shows a document.]
There’s the selection letter that came. My mum used to tear the stuff out.
“I had been selected in the Northern Tablelands Colts in my last year at school.
That was the first time I’d been to the trial. I scored a 50-odd in the trial and
the first time I batted for Northern Tablelands I hit a 93 in Tamworth and I was
selected in the Emus in my very first year. That was the 1967-68 season. I had just
come home from school and ended up in the Emus from my first J.S. White Colts
Carnival. We went to Tasmania. Ro Shelton, Donny Allen and Dave Falkenmire,
a lot of the guys I went on the world tour with later were in that same side. Ian
Hodge. A lot of them played grade cricket. Ken Shine. That was good cricket. I
didn’t have a great time of it in Tassie. I was hit in the undercarriage coming in at
no.3 in the first game. I got whomped and it took a while to recover. I was black
and blue and all the rest of it.’’
He was back to Tamworth in 1968-69 for the Colts Carnival.
“I was actually Northern Tablelands captain for that year. Denis Wall came a
bit later I think. Pip or Mark McCann used to manage us. Lance was colt of the
year just before me. The second year I went down I was captain and I scored about
130 runs again. I think I scored about 150 in my first year. It was only in my third
year I might have opened the bowling. I was an opening batsman, but I might have
batted at no.3 in my first year and was picked at no.3 for the Emus. There was a fair
bit of competition. There were two openers that had been there, Donny Allen, and
another bloke from the North Coast who had been playing for the Emus for about
three years. I didn’t make the Emus in my second year. And then the third year I
would have been an Emu, but I couldn’t go on tour because of other commitments.
I went on the world tour in ’70 I think. I was only 20 or 21 when I went on that tour,
so I’d done pretty well at the carnival again. I had a six-wicket haul and scored
about 130-140 runs again over the three days. The world tour contained guys who
had been Emus.’’
A report from what might be the Newcastle Morning Herald is headed:
“TABLELANDS TOP TEAM AT CARNIVAL’’ and reads: ‘‘Northern Tablelands clinched the Edinglassie Shield with a rare outright win
over North Coast on the last day of the annual J.S. White Colts Cricket Carnival
in Tamworth on Saturday.
‘‘It is the first time for 11 years that Northern Tablelands has won the coveted
shield and the first time an outright victory has been recorded in the 21 years of
the carnival. ‘‘North Coast collapsed for a record low carnival score of 51 against Tablelands
at No.2 Oval. The destroyers, on a dampish wicket, were Rob Blomfield (6-21) and
Bill Hutchinson (4-30). ‘‘Tablelands closed its first innings at 6-62 and then dismissed North Coast in
its second innings for 111.’’ The report didn’t mention that Bloomie opened the batting after his six-for and
top-scored with 26 in that 6-62. Hutchinson took 8-58 in North Coast’s second
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innings and Geoff Wood scored 49 as Tablelands, set 101 to win outright, knocked
up the runs in even time.
You followed in the footsteps of Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode?
“The thing you noticed with Neville Holstein was the sound the ball made
coming off the bat. And some of the catches in slips. I was a good bush cricketer
who represented Country, but he was something special . . . a cut above. It was
a shame he didn’t score too well for Country because people definitely had their
eyes on him for bigger things. Lance Kermode was in a class of his own too.”
The Sun-Herald of November 7, 1971 , under the headline “YOUNG TEAM
FACING TEST” reported:
“ARMIDALE, Sat.- Northern Tablelands could be ‘sending boys to do men’s
jobs’ when the team meets North-West in the season’s opening inter-council
cricket fixture at Guyra this week.
‘‘Tablelands side is composed of young players with an average age of only 21.
Some will be making their first appearance in representative cricket.
‘‘North-West will be fielding a team packed with experienced players.
‘‘The likes of Jeff (sic) Thatcher, Tony Cannon, Byron Lee and Roger Newell
are regular representative players. Lee, wicketkeeper, has also been named captain.
“North-West have a particularly strong batting line-up, which should
thoroughly test the Tablelands bowlers.
‘‘Only last Sunday Thatcher hammered out an unbeaten century to help his
team, Moree, to victory in an inter-district fixture.
‘‘Another batsman capable of taking most bowling attacks to pieces is Hamish
Munro, of Barraba.
‘‘Munro, former Sydney University footballer and cricketer, can be punishing
to anything loose. ‘‘State selector Ern Laidler will watch the match.
‘‘Players with good performances in this game will put themselves in line
for selection in one of the two Country teams to play Metropolitan in Sydney in
February.
‘‘One Tablelands representative who could force his claims is promising
young left-hander Geoff Wood.
‘‘Wood toured New Zealand with Northern Colts last year and figured
prominently in the aggregates and averages. ‘‘He took some time to find his true form this season, but is now providing
bowlers with plenty of headaches.
‘‘Walcha batsman Rob Blomfield and Armidale bowler Jim Longmire are
others who will carry Tablelands hopes.
‘‘The match is a two-day fixture. It is the first representative game assigned
to the new turf wicket at Guyra.’’
Rob had to wait a couple of seasons for his Country call-up, but obviously the
selectors had their eye on him. As did every player in Walcha. From just about his
first season home from school until the season he retired, Rob was the finals king.
He hit 128 in a losing grand, against Nowendoc in 1971-72, before Colts easily
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won the Walcha News Cup for the 1972-73 season. Nowendoc could only manage
42 in their first dig, Jim Laurie 5-20 and Rob 4-21 doing the damage. He then made
33 and took 5-68 in Nowendoc’s second dig. In the 1973-74 final Rob made the
second-highest score ever recorded in the Walcha competition, 195 and backed
it up with 4-22 as Rugby Union were dismissed for 141. Blomfield represented
Country soon after this. In an inter-district match against Glen Innes he took
8-35 off 12 overs, but actually took every wicket that fell, running out opener M.
Donnelly and Glen only batting 10 men for some reason. Bloomie was 72 not out
in Walcha’s easy win. His career continued apace and in 198-81 he capped off 15
years of local dominance by taking out both the batting and the bowling averages.
Rob sometimes pondered what his ‘‘season’’ averages would be had finals cricket
been included.
Rob Blomfield combined combative elegance, like Allan Border, with grace
under fire, like David Gower. As much as I hate to say it, there’s nothing quite
like a left-hander’s cover drive, and Rob hit plenty. He reckons he probably scored
1000 runs for the Tablelands. Among his clippings is a photograph and match
report of a Northern Tablelands side, 213, defeating North-West Plains 182 in a
two-day fixture at Glen Innes. Tablelands had a 117 first-wicket partnership and
I’m guessing Rob was part of it. The side was Robert Blomfield (Walcha), Peter
Hickey and Lindsay Mulligan (Guyra), Glen Roff (Armidale, capt) Bill Crane,
Keith Smith, John O’Neill, John Moran, Graham Rose and Geoff Wood (Armidale)
Mike Yeomans (Inverell). State selector Jack Chegwyn was at the match. Another
undated clipping showed “Jim Laurie of Walcha has won the bowling average
of the Northern Tablelands Council competition. Laurie took 18 wickets for an
average of 9.06. Robert Blomfield, also of the Walcha Colts club, was third with 10
wickets at a cost of 10.50 each. In the Second XI, Kevin Hoy came in third with
18 wickets for 6.56.”
It still amazes that Rob was selected for Combined Country from a four-team
competition. When Rob Blomfield opened for Country at the SCG on February 19,
1974 he faced a strong Metropolitan line-up aided by overcast skies. Rain seemed
to be a problem for him when he lined up at the top level. He lasted for a while
but was out for one. He was cleaned up by Dave Chardon who went on to play one
game for NSW. Ro Shelton, who took 5-33 playing for Metropolitan, was wellknown to Walcha cricketers. In the Metropolitan Colts playing Country 2nds at
the SCG No.2 was A. Hilditch. You had three or four solid years for Walcha and Northern Tablelands, did you
know you were being looked at as a possible Country selection?
‘‘You always hope. I was getting scores when other players weren’t getting
them. That’s for Tablelands against North-West and North Coast. You’re aware
there are selectors around. I was opening the batting a couple of times on wet
wickets and I managed to get runs when others didn’t. You sneak in. It was pretty
consistent. There was Geoff Thatcher and Roger Newell. I was playing against
them all the time and they were settled in as the Country openers. It was pretty
hard to get a gap in there. But I had a bit of luck and got in, but didn’t make much
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noise when I got there. I managed to bat at the SCG for 15 minutes.’’
Two of your predecessors walked off the wrong way. ‘‘No, I didn’t do that. I think I tickled one to first or second slip, I can still
remember it all. Then the match was washed out. I didn’t get the chance to field,
which I was really looking forward to. I think Country scored 220 or 230 and we
probably would have got a terrible hiding, but it would have been wonderful to
field there.’’
Any big names from either side?
‘‘Some of them would have played Shield. Ro Shelton was actually in the
City side. And Will King, who I’d played with for years, was in the City side. A
lot of guys I’d played a lot of cricket with were between the two sides. And when
it started raining and continued raining and raining it was a good night out. It was
probably a good thing we didn’t play the second day.” Were you ever considered again? Neville Holstein played more than once. ‘‘I didn’t realise Neville had played more than once for Country because I
remember they had big expectations for Neville and he went down and got one or
two and I was in the same bucket.’’
He was disappointed because he was in enormous touch and he was asked to
open and he didn’t consider himself an opener.
‘‘It wouldn’t have helped his mindset. He used to bat no.3 or no.4. I don’t
know what Peter Fenwicke did for Country. He was just an amazing slow spin
bowler. Even in my cricket, the best part of my cricket was when I started doing
that wobbly swing bowling.’’ Rain interrupted again when Rob took on the big guns. No doubt he would
have preferred it on the farm. The game between Northern Tablelands against the
NSW Sheffield Shield side in 1975 ended in a draw, NSW closing at 7-178 and at
stumps Tablelands were 5-75. Bellevue Oval was a picture and when the covers
were removed after overnight and morning showers, the pitch was still in tip-top
shape, but the approaches were sticky and there were pools of water in the outfield.
Players had an early lunch and the match started at 12.45pm.
NSW batted first, former Inverell player Rick McCosker opening with Alan
Turner in brisk fashion, bringing up 40 in 30 minutes and 50 in 45 minutes. Turner
went for 25, McCosker for 29, Bruce Collins batted first drop for NSW and captain
Dougie Walters came in at no.4. He played in typical style, taking 14 off one
O’Neill over and ended up top-scoring with 49, dismissed by Inverell schoolboy
Gary Bensley. Gary Gilmour’s 32 included a six and three fours.
Bloomie had the distinction of capturing Peter Toohey, caught by Lindsay
Mulligan. Rob then opened and compiled 13 including an attempted hook that
brought some mild retribution from a Shield quick.
Coming back from the good Armidale grounds to say Round Swamp must
have been an experience
‘‘That’s just all part of it. It’s the same for everyone. I remember them losing
balls down rabbit burrows. I remember playing out at Round Swamp one day and
it was someone like Ken or Kevvie and someone hit the ball into this long grass
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and no one could find it. But then one of them did, and didn’t let on, and waited
for the chance to run out a batsman. And they did. The fields up at Armidale were
good, but I used to come back here and play in the holidays anyway. You might
not have had guys mowing the field, but the cows did a pretty good job. I think it’s
a privilege to play cricket anywhere.
“When I was on that world tour, in Canada they’d just roll mats out in the
middle of the field and peg it down on the turf. We played the Canadian side on a
turf wicket in Toronto, but there were some funny ones in between. It’s interesting
now when you look at the World Cup games, we played against Canada and beat
them and played against Sri Lanka and beat them and played against Holland and
beat them and played against Ireland and beat them. And all those teams are now
in the World Cup. Part of our team game was part of their development I guess.
“After that ICC decision, what have they got to play for now? It’s a crying
shame those teams don’t have something to look forward to.’’
Neville Holstein, Lance Kermode and you all went on Emu world tours. Would
you have gone to Sydney to further your career?”
‘‘It was tormenting Lance. I think if someone had asked me I would have gone.
I would have given it a go, but it would have created a bit of havoc. I had my own
place and my own debt at that stage. I wasn’t just working on the family property.
I’d borrowed money and bought my own farm when I was quite young, so going
to Sydney would have tested me. I thought about it.
“I think I would’ve had the ability to play grade, particularly for the all-round
ability. If I hadn’t injured my back . . . probably . . . because that screwed me up a
bit. I used to hurt it, get it right again, hurt it . . . and get back into it again.”
You used to talk about Billy King, and you would have had the contacts and
the CV.
“Yeah, and particularly with the fielding and the bowling, and then if I trained
a bit and didn’t drink too much grog.”
Neville says he wasn’t daunted by the prospect, and gave Rick McCosker as an
example. Neville and Lance had taken Gleeson apart. “Bloody hell they were good.” “It was still good cricket.”
Owen Sweeney
O
wen Sweeney played for and captained both Northern Tablelands Colts and
seniors. He was vice-captain of the Emus under Warren Noble from the North
Coast in 1960-61. “I made the Emus side one year, and Lance made it the next year,’’ said Sween.
‘‘The year I made it we were both playing in the same team from the Tablelands
and Lance made it the following year. When I was selected we didn’t play the Kiwi
Colts for some reason. We didn’t tour New Zealand and they didn’t come here.
There was some hiccup. We had a tour down through Canberra, Wagga Wagga,
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around that area. It was still good cricket. We played against the Old Collegians
down at Wagga and quite a few other teams.” “I missed an international tour.”
Stephen Goodwin
S
tephen Goodwin: “Honestly, I don’t remember a lot of my rep cricket as a
young fellow. Mainly when I think of rep I think of when I first started playing
for the under-21s. I went to four or five J.S. White Colts carnivals – four with
Northern Tablelands and one with North-West. I played for the Emus in 197980. We only toured Brisbane and down the coast. We played the New Zealand
Juniors in Gloucester in the ‘Test match’ down there. We got done. I got a couple
of wickets I think. Got a few runs. No stand-out. It was a pretty tough tour that one
actually. I got real sore shins after we played at Toowoomba, if I remember rightly.
That was one of the first games. I got shin sore like a horse.’’
Not gout like Gary Gilmour? ‘‘I went to under-24s and all-age carnivals with Northern Tablelands, under
Bede Ryan and those sort of blokes. Emus was the stand-out because it was the
highest level, but I enjoyed everything. Being selected in the Emus in 1979 was
a big thing for me because I’d missed out the year before. I’d gone through the
window at a pub in Tamworth. The selectors and hierarchy thought it was my fault,
which it wasn’t.’’
A couple of members of very prominent Northern Tablelands cricket families
have since fessed-up, but way too late. ‘‘It took a while for the selectors to work out that it wasn’t my fault. I was on
the outer and they toured New Zealand that year. I had been the stand-out at the
J.S. White Carnival. I’d got a heap of wickets and a heap of runs, yet I missed an
international tour. So it was good to get in the next year.’’
Neville Holstein made his made his name on a Colts tour to New Zealand. It’s
worth thinking how far Normie might have gone with a solid international tour
under his belt.
‘‘My best performance was probably ’78 I think. Got a couple of four-fors and
five-fors I think. And used to bat down at eight in that side and got a couple of 20s
and 30s, not outs.’’
Whenever Walcha players are picked they seem to do well for Northern
Tablelands. ‘‘First year we played Peter (first cousin Peter Natty) was in the side. He was a
pretty handy cricketer, Peter. Denis Wall hit a six off the last ball to win a game,
and Peter hit a six off the last ball of a game down there, too. Mug lairs from
Walcha. They still think we’re cowboys.’’
You played with and against some handy cricketers. ‘‘Well, the blokes I can remember, in the Emus side, in my side, Barry
Everingham was a stand-out. He was the ’keeper, keeping up over the stumps to
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me and stumping blokes down the leg-side. He was my ’keeper in the Tablelands
side as well, so he knew me pretty well. Terry Browne was a good bat, from
Tamworth, the Browne boys. He’s still got a bit to do with cricket down there.’’ Was he the player who walked on a nick in Tamworth grade, even though he
didn’t hit it, and said ‘‘close enough for me’’ because he didn’t fancy batting on a
green-top? ‘‘That was Harvey Goodman. Peter Copeman was a good player, he was in the
same side. I still have a yarn to him every time he comes to Walcha for the rugby
union. There was young fella by the name of Tony Ellicott, I reckon he was one of
the best I’ve seen. He was from the Hunter Valley somewhere. He was from the
same side.
“Of those I played against, I played against Greg Ritchie when we were on that
tour and got him out lbw I think. He was a real lair in those days. Played against
Wayne Broad, he went on to open for Queensland. He was in that same side we
played up there. Peter Clifford was unreal. He wasn’t in the Emus when I was, he
was in a couple of years before me. He went to Sydney I think.’’ He remembers you. The first time Peter Clifford played at the SCG he hit
80-something not out, and couldn’t believe how big the ground was. He couldn’t
hit a four. ‘‘Well, he was from Bellingen. They’d be only little grounds up there. He was a
very talented bat that bloke. He’d be the last one out of a night too. He used to look
crook some days and he’d just fire. Gary Bensley was a good cricketer.’’ Could you tell the good ones?
‘‘I never knew that much about Greg Ritchie, but he had a big reputation and we
heard about it and he did go on to play for Australia. Wayne Broad when we played
against him I think he give us a thumpin’ up there. He was a class above, but he
only made state didn’t he? They were the main ones I can remember in that tour.’’ What about the all-age carnivals? ‘‘There were a few boys from out west. When Bloomie and I went to an allage carnival at Grafton it got washed out, but there were a couple of blokes, Peter
Copeman’s brother or maybe a cousin, Ben Copeman, and he was a big fella and
apparently a good bowler. I never got to see him. Then there was Neil Warden.
He was a bloody good bowler from out here. Ben Copeman from Far-North West,
Neil Warden, they were two quick opening bowlers. Bit glad it did get washed out.
Then in later days I had the privilege of seeing, remember a bloke by the name
of Tim Williams from Garah? He had a brother Richie Williams, geez he was a
good cricketer too. You can’t single ’em out. There’s too many. Great players, great
blokes. I made a lot of good mates. You forget most of ’em.
‘‘When I first got a run it was for Northern Tablelands Under-21s for the J.S.
White Carnival. Then I went to the under-24s and then the all-ages. It was good
because you played with the older fellas too. I remember playing in the all-ages
with Peter Waite, Geoff Wood and a few of them. They were good times. Mark
Bensley was in that tour to Grafton. Rob Blomfield introduced me to the big blokes.
‘‘I was opening bowler or first change, I preferred first change. I used to always
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get a few wickets and an odd 20 or 30. I used to bat at no.8 or no.9. It was a good
standard of cricket. Under-24s was good. You still had something to strive for after
the Colts.’’ Were the state selectors at your games?
“No idea. But so many good cricketers came out of the J.S. White Carnival
I’d be surprised if there hadn’t been selectors of some sort there. There were some
good ones . . . Peter Clifford, Gary Bensley, Eric Higgins.”
The first time Eric Higgins played at the SCG, for a Country side against a
NSW Development XI, he scored a ton. “Eric Higgins is still playing first grade in Inverell. He was still paying district
cricket for Inverell when I finished up. You could still see the class. He played in
that side that played the West Indies in Armidale. He might have scored 30 or 40
or something. And could bowl too. Medium innies I think. First year I played
against him in the under-21s, before I really knew him . . . well through our years
of playing Kendall there was a Warren Swan and he used to play in Higgo’s North
Coast side, an opening bowler. I knew Eric Higgins’ name, but I didn’t really
know him. The game was getting down to the nitty-gritty and they needed one
more wicket. We’d played a fair few overs out and I still remember them trying
this run-out on us. I snicked one and it went towards slips and I thought it had gone
through because one of the slips had started running after it as though it had gone.
And young blokes like we were thought it was a chance to get another run. But the
slips fielder had it all the time and threw it in. It just missed. I think Higgo had a
fair bit to do with that little trick. The trick worked like a beauty on us, but they
failed to hit the wicket. Higgins was a stand-out in that sort of cricket, in the J.S.
White Carnival. Clifford was too. He had loads of ability and was nearly always
last one home of a night.”
For all sad words of tongue and pen,
the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’
John Greenleaf Whittier
T
he “super six”, gentlemen cricketers, and a better bunch of blokes and
sportsmen you’d be hard-pressed to find. Herbie Laurie said he would
have gone to Sydney had it meant the chance of playing Shield cricket, ‘‘but I
didn’t go to Findon, did I?’’ Owen Sweeney played that many great innings for
Commercial, Walcha and Northern Tablelands it’s hard to believe he couldn’t have
played for Country. Similarly, Stephen Goodwin just played better the higher the
standard. He would have been at home in a Country cap as well. They should both
be remembered for the efforts they’ve put in off the field. Sween with Commercial,
Walcha, junior cricket and Northern Tablelands, and “Normie” with Swamp and
Walcha junior cricket. The saying goes “you only get out of it what you put into it”.
Plenty, it seems, for these two.
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Walcha’s four Country representatives were all good enough to play Sheffield
Shield. Peter Fenwicke chose rugby, Neville Holstein chose Riamukka, Robert
Blomfield chose ring-barking and Lance Kermode we hope found redemption.
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Corners Of The Mind
This chapter contains edited excerpts of interviews with a cross-section of
characters of Walcha cricket, from Alick Bird, who started playing in the 1930s,
through to the Goodwin brothers and current association president Ed Blomfield.
lick Bird is one of the grand old men of Walcha cricket. Born in 1922 he
started playing senior cricket before World War II and then continued with
remarkable success until the early 1970s. His mind is still as active as those days
on the little district grounds around Walcha, and The Park, when he was scheming
to winkle out a batsman. Alick is synonymous with Round Swamp, but he didn’t
play all of his cricket there. In fact, the Swampies didn’t want him at first. He
started his career as a 14-year-old in the mid-1930s when he hooked up with
Orandumbie after leaving school there.
“I played in the B-Grade for a start with Orandumbie, that was a good many
years before the War, and then I played with Apsley after the War in A-grade. The
first year after I got out, just after the War, I couldn’t get in the Round Swamp
team. Anyway, we formed a team called Apsley and we met Round Swamp in
the final and I took eight wickets. I didn’t have much trouble getting in the Round
Swamp side next year. There were a lot of schoolteachers about and they were all
good cricketers. You had to be a good cricketer to get in the team. That was the
A-grade. So I played one year against Round Swamp before I made the team.”
His Swamp days are now infamous.
“I remember all the little district teams at that time . . . Round Swamp,
Yarrowitch and all those.
“A lot of the Yarrowitch players came to Round Swamp when they folded.
Those Hoy boys all played with Lonsdale Bridge and when they folded they came
up with us.
“I scored a hundred against Yarrowitch for Orandumbie when I was a kid and
had just left school. Yarrowitch only had a second-grade team the same as us. I
would have been 14 or 15 when I started to play with Orandumbie. I was born in
1922. Orandumbie were only B-grade and then to Apsley in first grade and then
to Round Swamp.”
By my calculations he had at least three seasons before the War given that he
would have turned 14 in 1936, so he possibly played from 1936-37, 1937-38, 193839. He was still only in his late 40s by end of the 1960s.
“There were a lot of good players when I started playing with Orandumbie.
There were a lot of schoolteachers. Bobby Case was a good cricketer. I think
Bobby was better than Max Case. Laurie Little, I played against Laurie. He was a
good player too, by gee. All the Fletchers played together. Reg King, one of those
schoolteachers I was talking about, was a good cricketer. “Clive Roper was a bloody good player. He was probably good enough to play
for NSW. Fred was a good player too. He was a fast bowler. I think Clive was a
A
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little bit better, really. I played a bit of inter-district cricket. I could’ve played a lot
more, but I didn’t really worry much about it. I played a few games. We played
Tamworth down there and whether it was Clive or Fred who couldn’t get down
there I can’t remember. So they took me and bugger me if I didn’t get a swag of
wickets.
“Round Swamp would probably be one of the oldest and most successful
clubs. Ray and Harry Hoy and Stan Hoy would’ve captained. All the Hoys played
with us. And then mostly Doug Schrader captained and those fellows. I was only
ever captain of Round Swamp a couple of times. I didn’t take on captaincy very
much because I was a bowler.”
And what a bowler he was, quite possibly the most successful aggregate-wise
in Walcha history.
“The bloke that’s alongside me up here in Riverview, Gordon Jamieson, he
took the most wickets. But I think Gordon played a couple of years after me.
[Gordon Jamieson took 68 wickets in a season.] We were neck and neck. The
association has lost two books. Bluey Hogan was trying to work it out. There
are two books missing from the time when we were neck and neck. But I think
Gordon played a couple of years longer than me. Poor old Gordon wouldn’t handle
a six-stitcher now. Christ he’s got bad hands now.”
And what of the keen rivalry between Round Swamp and Nowendoc and
Round Swamp and Riamukka?
“Oh yeah. Max Holstein is often about up here at Riverview. His memory is
still good. Mine’s gone.”
That’s not quite true obviously, but there must be some great yarns told with
Max Holstein visiting Alick and Gordon.
“I played against all the Holsteins. They were all good players. Max seems to
have been overshadowed a bit. God he was a hard man to bowl to. You’d bowl him
a good ball and he’d hit you over the fence.”
So who was the hardest to bowl to?
“Bloody Neville and Max Holstein. You’d bowl Max a bloody good ball and
he’d hit it over the fence and lose it. At least the other bloke (Neville) would play
a shot. You’d have Max in and you’d think he’d have 30 or 40 and when he got out
he’d have 80 or 90. Max was the most devastating I ever bowled against. He’s as
good as anyone that’s played around here. Max drops in every few days and has a
yarn with me. He always comes and sees me. He is and always was a terrific bloke.
I first remember Max when he was only that high. Used to be up at the tennis
courts at Brackendale.”
I reminded Alick that Max loved sport for the camaraderie as much as the
competition.
“They were all nice fellas, those Holstein blokes. They were good sportsman
all those Nowendoc fellas. The Holstein fellas, and Herbie and Bobby Laurie were
good players too. Old Tony Holstein was a very keen old player. I played against
him. I remember we were playing down there on the school ground and they had
got a fair few runs and they went through our batsmen. Anyway I bailed myself up
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and I wouldn’t hit anything that didn’t need hitting and I kept them out to get the
two points. I thought I’d played bloody well and old Tony said to me, ‘That’s not
damn cricket.’ They had dismissed all our best batsman and were well on the way
to a win. We hadn’t scored many runs. They’d batted first and got plenty. Their
bowlers got very upset about not being able to get me out. They had good bowlers
too. I batted for ages.”
A wonderful moment of recall, and very moving when retold.
“Herb Laurie was a good old cricketer.”
Gordon Jamieson reckoned Herbie was the hardest batsman to get out.
“Bloody oath,” was the response. At this stage of the interview I was in a
three-way conversation with Alick and his son Gordon. Alick was going through
his thoughts when Gordon Bird said that, like Herbie Laurie, Round Swamp
opener Peter Osmond was a hard man to shift too. I reminded Gordy that Peter
Osmond didn’t like slow bowling, particularly flighted slow bowling well above
his eye level. Alick chimed straight in. “Col Erratt was in our Apsley side. He was
pretty blind, but crikey he was hard to get out. The only way to get him out was to
give the ball air.” Alick had picked straight up on the conversation between Gordy
and me and applied it to a fellow player from 60 years ago. How sharp is he?
“I used to bat at four or five. I got two or three centuries. I was mainly a bowler.
I played with Roy Chandler for years. He was a good cricketer. All the Hoys were
good cricketers. Everybody played cricket back in my day.”
And some played it harder than others. I reminded him of some ball-tampering
yarns.
“A lot of that sort of thing went on. Blokes used to know how to use their
thumbnail. I might have even had a go at that.”
It’s doubtful he needed to resort to too many tricks.
“I was only a bit better than medium. I wasn’t a fast bowler. I did take a lot of
wickets over a lot of years, but I was playing for a lot of years. I was still playing
in ’62.”
Turf as opposed to coir?
“I didn’t play on turf much. Oh ghost those coir mats are a lot better for
bowlers. Especially for anyone that turns the ball a bit. I think Roy Chandler could
turn it square.
“Col Wall was a good cricketer. Viv Partridge. There’s a bloke, Jack Bussell,
used to work . . . he was a good bowler too. He played with Apsley when I was
playing. Dick Croft was a good old cricketer. Archer Croft was good too, but I
never played against him. I played against Dick and with Dick. He was the captain
of the Apsley team. It was a good side. We won the competition.
“Dick Croft was a batsman. They were up the Uralla Road. His brother Archer
was a bloody good player. I never played against him. I don’t remember ever
playing against Archer Croft but I know him as a good cricketer.
“Cec Macdonald was a very keen old cricket supporter. He was finished when
I started. He was always very good to the cricketers and looked after things. “That little Holstein fella that got killed in the car crash, by geez he was going
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to be a good cricketer. He was hard to get out. We were playing on The Park and he
knocked off and went to Tamworth and was killed in a car accident.’’
Alick’s voice was choked with emotion when he recalled this, as if it was
yesterday.
“He was going to be a really good cricketer.”
It became apparent after speaking with a lot of the older players that “good
cricketer” equated with “good bloke”.
“He’d have been a beauty, Barry. He was only young when he was killed.
“I remember that day Don Margery whacked [son] Gordon straight into the
stumps. He reckoned Gordon should not have been bowling. Gordon used to throw
them right up in the air. And he was getting wickets too. Everybody thought they
could hit him out of the bloody ground. Don was going to kill the wicketkeeper
and he hit it straight into the stumps.
“Charlie Schrader was a good player. He was a brother of Doug’s.
“Andy Fletcher was a pretty solid old cricketer. He was a bit past his best
when I was playing, but he’d been a good cricketer. I think Andy used to captain
the district side. Percy Golledge was a bloody good cricketer. He was a bit of an
all-rounder, mainly a bat. He was a hard bugger to bowl out. I had a go at a few
of those Brazels. There were a few pretty handy cricketers among them. Mostly
Ingleba I think they were playing with. Peter Fenwicke was a good player. He was
a little slower bowler than me. But a bloody good bat.
‘‘When I was building a kitchen at their place that young Willie (Makeham)
used to play a game of cricket every morning. Willie was hard to get out.”
The best Round Swamp bats?
“Possibly Roy. I think you’d have to pick Roy. Doug Schrader played beautiful
strokes, but he wasn’t quite as reliable as Roy.”
At this stage Gordon Bird told a yarn of playing in a game when a poor decision
went against Alick and as result Cedric Wright just threw his wicket away.
‘‘That reminded me of a few old cricketers,” Alick said. “You used to get some
dickie decisions at times.”
One of Alick’s more impressive efforts was away from home. “I remember playing up in the Atherton Tablelands during the War. I was
driving a truck and I took the brigade blokes down. They had a cricket team and
I took them down to play and they were one short and they said, ‘Do you play
cricket?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I play’.”
This was very understated. “They said we need to do these buggers, so they got me in and bugger me if
I didn’t get a hundred runs and took three or four wickets. And the opposition
blokes saw me get into a 2nd/1st Battalion truck and they said, ‘That bastard’s not
brigade.’ And they protested because we won. That was up in Queensland.”
Those “brigade boys” had just been up against a bloke that played it hard. But
what a gentleman? Alick Bird seems to be on a good wicket at Riverview given
that family and blokes like Max Holstein are always visiting, and that one of his
contemporaries and the other great wicket-taker of Walcha is there too.
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G
ordon Jamieson batted left-handed, bowled right-handed and gave new
meaning to the phrase “we play it hard around here”. Rumour has it that
despite his prodigious wicket-taking he once inserted a pin in a ball and it darted
around in unplayable fashion. But as Rob Laurie recalls: “No, that’s not right.
They had a party around there at Gordon’s, and Doug and Rodger, they were all
there, and we got talking about cricket cause I’d told Doug Jamieson about his
father puttin’ a pin in the ball. So Doug went and asked Gordon did he ever put
pins in the ball. I thought we were all going to get kicked out. Doug said: “These
blokes reckon you put pins in the ball.” Gordon got real deadly looking but he
didn’t kick us out. He didn’t say whether he did or not.”
It was Douglas who told me that his father had only stayed on at school so he
could keep playing cricket.
“Yeah, that’s got a lot to do with it. I’m from Hillston near Ingleba. I played
my first cricket with Ingleba and went on to play for 30 years with Ingleba. At
different times they were missing a few men at Ingleba so I came in and played
with Colts and Commercial, and Round Swamp.”
And what a terrific career.
“I’ve got a couple of mugs here I won when I was playing with Colts and also
Commercial. I got 68 wickets both times and I haven’t seen it done again. I think it
would be the record for the most wickets ever in a season. I did it twice.
“Cricket was a bit stronger then, and I just about got the whole lot of the
batsmen playing then out at some stage.”
Herb Laurie tells the story of Gordon cleaning up Riamukka in a final when
Riamukka all but had it won.
“Yeah, I did too. I was right at my peak at that time and I loved playing
cricket. Like I said I played for 30 years and [son] Douglas was right about going
to school. Cricket was about the only thing that sent me to school.
“That was the little school out at Ingleba. I was 13 when I left school. I was
out on the place and then just after the War we got a team of cricketers there.
Everybody around took to cricket. We had two teams, depending on how many
was still around. Ingleba had two teams between ’45 and ’50. I started playing for
Ingleba as soon as I left school. I was 13 or 14 or whatever it was and I played in
the A-grade team all my life. I played district cricket every time. I never missed
district cricket for Walcha . . . against Glen Innes, Inverell, Tenterfield, Armidale.
“In between when I left Ingleba and when I played for Colts we played in the
Peel Valley competition in Tamworth. Seven of us went from Ingleba and played
with Weabonga and they were some of the best years of cricket I ever had, playing
against those fellows down there, they were really good cricketers. It wasn’t better
cricket than here, but it was good and there were a lot of good cricketers down
there.”
Did you enjoy bowling on coir mats?
“Oh yeah, loved it. Loved it. Getting a bit of grip. I was a medium-pacer and
then when the shine went off the ball I used to bowl a lot of off-cutters and legbreaks, and that’s where I got most of my wickets.”
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A trawl through the records not only reveals Gordon’s extraordinary career,
but the number of overs he bowled, and this explains it. He was a two-spell bowler
of different varieties. Most, or probably all, of his career would have been in the
eight-ball over days, so he hurled a lot of leather.
“Once the shine went off I just slowed down and brought it out of the front of
the hand or the back of the hand.”
Not always to great effect as Herb Laurie recalls in another section of this
book, the famous “stand your ground” incident. Gordon remembered it well and
still laughs too. Which brings him to inter-district cricket.
“The best I got in the district cricket was 5-15 at Inverell. That was on a turf
wicket. I didn’t like the turf, or actually I wasn’t used to it. We played on concrete
wicket with coir mats. You could turn a ball almost sideways.”
And there were some good cricketers playing around Walcha when you were
involved.
“Lance came through just after me. It was a pity what happened to him.
Because we had a good team and Lance played a lot of rep cricket and he was
away a lot when he was younger. Apparently he had to come back and help his
dad with the place and then he settled down and he played with us all the time. He
was a good man.
“But there were other good cricketers for Ingleba too. Oh we had Bob and
Frank Bowden from Glen Morrison, Bert Brazel from Ingleba, Sam Brazel from
Ingleba. Sam was a good bat. A very good bat. Most of them were all-rounders.
“I was captain for 20-odd years. And I opened the batting and the bowling. I
loved to open the bowling because I knew I wanted the new ball. That shiny ball.
Nobody got it. Only me. I liked opening the batting with Lance. We played well
together lots of times.
“I didn’t open the bowling in district cricket, but I was always the change
bowler. I was medium-pace, but I’d get a good one to come up sometimes. But I
didn’t like bowling short balls. I reckon if you bowl a good-length ball right on the
wicket, if the batsman missed, you had him. You got him, either bowled or lbw.
Bowl at the wicket all the time. Even when I was bowling spinners, depending on
which way I was turning them, I’d aim at leg or off and take it away.”
What terrific memories, recall, and just as importantly, insights.
“I played it serious, very serious. I did play it serious. And I’d get crabby if it
rained of a Sunday and I missed cricket. You worked all week and looked forward
to your weekend coming and if it rained it spoilt your weekend.
“But we travelled everywhere. And it was a day out for everyone, all the people
in the district. We used to play Glen Morrison. They were a while before they could
get a team. Frank Bowden and Sam Brazel came to play with Ingleba. We played
all over the place. Nowendoc, Riamukka, Round Swamp, Yarrowitch. Lonsdale
Bridge didn’t last long when I was playing. They were strong before the War.”
And what of the pre-War players?
“I played against Bobby Case, I never played with him. Freddy Roper was a
good bowler.
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“Mervyn Jamieson was my brother. He played for Ingleba until dad sold out
and he went to Coffs Harbour. And he played there. He got a ball as a trophy
for taking the whole 10 wickets. He’s seven years younger than me. But the
atmosphere down there at Coffs Harbour was great. You can’t get the swing up
here on the tablelands, it’s too dry. They used to bowl on the Kippax mats too, just
canvas. That was his game. He was a good bowler.”
And your eldest son Douglas started playing at a young age.
“Douglas was still going to school when we started playing together. My
second boy Graham was a good bowler too, but his ankles gave. We had a strip
mowed in the backyard and we used to practise quite a bit.”
And what of the good teams and the rivalry?
“Riamukka and Nowendoc were good. They had some good cricketers down
there. Round Swamp was all right. Then you’ve got Commercial and Colts.
Owen Sweeney played with Ingleba before Commercial. Col Wall played for
Commercial. He was a good bowler.
“I played against Percy Golledge. Walcha Road used to play where the post
office is. Right up the back of the place. When they left there they went further
up the road, up past the pub. The last time I ever played down there was on that
ground.
“I was about 50 when I retired and I was going about as good then as I was
before. I was always fit. I could still bowl and I think my batting was better. I could
always bat a bit, but I was too impatient. Every ball had to be hit over the fence.
When I got older I settled down a bit. Captaincy didn’t make much difference or
add any pressure. I didn’t find any strain or stress in it.
“The stand-out players were Neville Holstein, Max Holstein, Bobby Laurie
and Herbie Laurie. Herbie was like bowling to a brick wall. He was a terrible hard
man to get out. You had a go getting the ball past him. He was a good cricketer,
Herbie. Bobby was pretty fast. Don Margery, the wicketkeeper, was a good bat.
Lindsay his brother was good. Lincoln Wright was a good bowler, a good allrounder. Most of us were good all-rounders.
“I played against Roy Chandler a lot.”
Herb Laurie describes Roy as a once-in-a-generation leggie.
“He wasn’t that good a leg-spinner. He was a good cricketer. He gave the ball
a lot of air. But he couldn’t bowl a ball like I can . . . I could.”
Gordon wasn’t being churlish when he made this statement, and the anecdote
is not included to suggest Gordon was denigrating Roy Chandler. That was not
the way it was conveyed. It was a terrific part of the interview, one of those rare
occasions when someone is transported back in time. Gordon was in the groove
and his speech changed to present tense for one golden moment. When I looked at
him he was in deep thought, back in the moment, his normally shaky hands steady
as a strainer post and his fingers cradling a six-stitcher. In any case Gordon had no
regrets playing inter-district Seconds most of the time that Roy was in the Firsts.
“I bowled the ball a bit faster. Well I did for a while then I settled down. Once
I got a length I settled down then. Roy used to toss them up and they’d bounce
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when they hit the wicket. He was a good bowler that way. But as far as a legspinner was concerned I didn’t see that he turned the ball much at all.”
To prove the point about context.
“Who are you going to replay the tape to?
“I played against Peter Boyd lots of times. Old Bob Wall was good. A plugger,
fair dinkum. He was a slow bowler. Didn’t bowl a bad ball now and then. Trouble
is you couldn’t give them all a bowl.”
Ingleba always seemed to have a good attack.
“Mick Manny was a good bowler. And a good bat. He played with us for three
or four years. There was myself and Bob Bowden and Aiden Wall. We were the
three fellows that used to really open up.
“In the batting, when Lance came along he got runs for Ingleba. There were
few of them who could bat. Bert Brazel. Sam Brazel was good with the bat.
“I played against Alby Ferris, but never with him. He was Glen Morrison. He
didn’t get over our way.”
What about regrets? Even for higher representation?
“No. I have no regrets. I played pretty good. I got in all the district cricket
that was played here. I didn’t go anywhere else, picked in any Wheaton’s team or
anything like that. I played a lot of district cricket. They were fair dinkum. There
was no foolin’ around in district games. Walcha had a good team here then. We
used to match it with most of them.”
I didn’t know until this interview that you bowled leggies?
“A lot of others tried to bowl them. You had to be pretty good to throw the ball
out of the back of your hand and land it on the spot where you wanted it to go.”
And not easy to do when you’ve already had a spell opening the bowling.
“I’d easy bowl 20, 25 overs in a day. I never bowled right through. I’d used to
bowl five or six overs and I always knew when I was going off and it was time to
get out and give someone else a go. But then when things were getting a bit tough
I’d come back on again.
“Ingleba were always reasonably strong. At the latter part we were getting a bit
weaker and quite a few fellows left. When the team started after the War it was a
very strong team. There were schoolteachers and the McHattans, Dave McHattan,
and Mervyn McHattan, they were very good cricketers.”
Which brings us the story that Dave McHattan landed a ball on the Fitzroy
Street bridge from the old Park, the same ground on which Freddy Roper was
called for six wides for bouncing it over the fence.
“Freddy hit me under the ribs one day. I was left-handed and he hit here
(rubbing his undercarriage). It knocked all the air out of me. I didn’t have an ounce
of air left in me. Freddy never played much before the War. Most of his cricket was
after the War. And he was quick.
“Anyhow the next one he pitched a shorter ball on my leg side and I put him
into the river. After hittin’ me in the ribs I put him over the hedge into the river.
You’ve hit me once, I’m going to hit you back. After hitting me in the guts I put
him straight over the pine trees.
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“It didn’t hurt that much, it just winded me. Just got me under the ribs. I got
hit a few times, around about the legs.
“Jimmy Fletcher was good. Laurie Little was a good bat. I don’t think I ever
found anybody that was as bad as Herbie Laurie. Sometimes I got one through
him. I don’t think there was anybody in a team I hadn’t got out at some stage over
the 30 years I played.
“I fielded in second slip. That was my home. Lance Kermode and myself and
Bob Bowden, the three of us there. I always ended up a second slip. You could see
the ball comin’. I could outfield too. I could catch a ball in the outer. I fielded a bit
forward of point in district cricket, a short cover. Andy Fletcher was captain most
of the time. He was a good captain and knew where I wanted to go and he left me
there. He was a good ‘keeper.
“I used to be first or mainly second change. I’d come on as a spinner in district
cricket. That’s all I bowled. I didn’t bowl anything else. Those others like Bobby
[R.A. Laurie] and Jimmy Laurie were faster than me, but once I come on I got the
ball roughed-up and I never bowled any faster. I was an opening bowler for the
club, all the time (like Denis Wall) and in district I was probably first or second
choice. And I bowled leg-breaks and off-cutters. I got quite a few, especially in the
Peel Valley competition.
“I got six hat-tricks.”
How come you played in the Peel Valley competition?
“We ran out of cricketers at Ingleba. When Lance Kermode died something
went wrong with the thing. They sort of disappeared a bit. We didn’t have the
players so seven of us went to Weabonga. I was still living at Ingleba then.
“I got four or five centuries in my time. I remember once playing down at
Riamukka . . . Ronnie Green was my brother-in-law, the big bugger. They were
short of a man, and they asked him to field for them. They had him right out on the
long hit. I was on 98 and I hit a ball well enough that I thought was going to clear
the boundary, and the big bugger caught me. Right on 98. I do remember that. I
nearly made him walk home. I’d taken him to the ground. It’s a long way to walk
back I told him. He had the hide to catch me, and only about a foot inside the fence.
“Ronnie was mainly in the district Second XI. I was captain of the district
Seconds. It was a fairly good team. Ronnie didn’t quite make the A grade team.
He was a pretty fast bowler.
“I never forget the time Mervyn my brother brought a team up from Coffs
Harbour and we played them here on The Park. Mervyn was a good bat as well as a
good bowler. Out he went to open the batting and Ronald opened the bowling and
Mervyn said it was weeks before he got the bruises off him. Big Ronnie bruised
him from top to bottom.
“The Coffs Harbour blokes wouldn’t get that bounce on the Kippax mats like
we would on the coir mats . . . and on antbed at The Park. That antbed with the
coir, you get the bounce all right. They were great to bowl on. They’re good to bat
on too. It’s an even bounce as well. You’re not getting one down at your ankles and
one up over your head.
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“I didn’t really like turf. Although even in the district cricket there were only
a couple of turf wickets at that time.”
Herbie Laurie’s first turf was a shooter, but Neville Holstein said after his first
experience that turf made the game easy.
“You only had to play a straight bat on the turf because you had a fair idea
where they’re going to go. It all depends on how the bowler dropped them,
sometimes they dropped them short.”
Gordon enjoyed the opportunity to team-up with opposition players when they
came together for district.
“I knew them all. Played against them all and knew just about exactly what
they could do, how they batted, how they bowled. I enjoyed it. I liked playing with
them.
“Owen Sweeney was a very good cricketer. The best I ever got with the bat
was 137 not out against Commercial at the John Oxley (New Common). Owen
Sweeney dropped me right on the fence when I was in the 90s. He was lettin’ me
off, but that was the best innings I ever had. The best 100 I made. I got a few in the
90s. Got a couple of ducks too. I was a bit impatient. I wanted to score off every
ball I faced. As I got older I learnt to settle down.”
As Gordon Bird remarked to me: “Gordon Jamieson would’ve loved this.
Doing the interview for this book. It’s good when he gets going on the yarns. They
must be true because they never change.”
As Gordon Jamieson said.
“That was life. That was my game, cricket. I like my tennis. I used to play
tennis in the winter and cricket in the summer.”
H
erb Laurie lived for cricket too and spent a goodly proportion of his leisure
hours as an opening or top-order batsman. Obviously he had tremendous
hand-eye co-ordination and he started young and had to practise with no pads
against brother Bobby, a sling-action quick. But that desire to practise and succeed
every time he batted, like Bradman, or Walter Lindrum on a billiards table, is
something else that can’t be coached or taught. His senior cricket career spanned from 1948 to 1989 in the Walcha and Gloucester
comps in an era in which bush cricketers still faced enormous challenges, but also
had terrific opportunities, playing as they did in front of influential administrators
and against first-class reps. Irrespective of talent and commitment, bush players
are more aware of the administrative side of the game. To that end Herb was
Walcha District Cricket Association president for two years, a delegate for WDCA
at Northern Tablelands for many years and a Northern Tablelands selector. But
we listen to him because he played for the Walcha district side for many years
and Northern Tablelands 16 times, eight as captain. He was invited to play with
Wheaton’s Touring Cricket Club for 30 years, the first interstate team to play in
Brisbane Country Week.
By the time most players would have been in retirement for many years, Herb
was selected to play with the Kookaburra Cricket Club for their over-40 tour of
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Hawaii, California and England in 1986. On this tour Herb matched wits with
former New Zealand skipper and bowler Bob Cunis at Findon Cricket Club ground.
After being named ‘‘man of the match’’ and rising 58 years of age he was invited
by the president of Findon, in the Sussex comp, to play the following season as an
opening bat/keeper (‘‘no money, but free board and use of car’’).
‘‘In later years [early 1980s] when I was taking my mother to Gloucester of
weekends to visit her sister, I was invited to captain-coach the local high school
cricket team and ended up playing in the A Reserve comp. These 13-year-olds after
four years were 17-year-olds, and in their last season went through undefeated.
Gloucester DCA awarded me with life membership for the help I had given its
young players.’’ He was born to coach probably, but born to bat definitely.
‘‘I started as a four-year-old. My grandmother gave me a cricket bat for
Christmas and I took it out after lunch and made her bowl at me, at Gloucester.’’
It wouldn’t be the first time he would bat through a session and determine who
bowled when.
‘‘After a while I said ‘my bowl’ and she got the bat. She was a little old thin
woman with very little feet on her and I threw the ball and it hit her on the ankle
and she spent Christmas afternoon getting plaster on her broken leg.’’ We play it
hard around there. Herb was never pulled up for throwing later in his career either. “I was always a left-hander, always an opener and always took strike. We
came back to live in Nowendoc in 1936. Nowendoc and Riamukka both formed
teams after the War. I was opening the batting for Riamukka at age 17. I finished
my career playing with Gloucester in 1989. And I represented Gloucester a number
of times in the John Bull Shield. We played the final of the A grade up at Laurieton
against Hastings and that was 1989. So that’s ’48 to ’89, I represented for 41 years.” Herb came under the eye of many selectors and officials over the years and
was also a long-serving captain. He understands the game from many angles.
‘‘Ronnie Green played for Ingleba [and Colts and the Walcha inter-district
side]. A big fella he was. If he pitched the ball up, he was quick, but he tried to kill
you after a bit. But that’s the fault of the Walcha Park, the coir mats with dirt under
it. Ronnie went down there and represented the Northern Tablelands against the
North-West at Quirindi. I was in first slip and he came in, late in the afternoon and
a little breeze came up, and he pitched the ball up and swung it towards slips and
I got four catches, one, two, three, four. The state selector immediately said he’s
in line for playing Country Firsts or Seconds. A fortnight later he played against
the North-West up at Armidale on a good turf wicket and instead of pitching the
ball up he tried to kill Ron George from Tamworth. Ron belted him all over the
place and it cost him a place in the Country team. But again, that’s the fault of his
captain. His captain should have gone to him and said ‘pitch ’em up at this bloke.
He’s gettin on the back foot and puttin’ you over point and things.’ ‘‘The Walcha District side at one stage went three years undefeated. That was
in the late ’50s. We were recognised as the best inter-district team. But you had to
put in two results, yours and the opposition’s and when we played in Walcha the
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representative (from Armidale) that was playing against us was also the recording
secretary and he told Walcha, Ronnie Green actually, ‘don’t send ’em up, you’ve
won fair and square’, and they disqualified us. They did it two years in a row. We
would’ve played in two more War Veterans’ Cups. Two years in a row Armidale
did it to us.’’ Cricket was strong around Walcha generally during the first two decades of
Herb’s career, but especially around Nowendoc and Riamukka, and there was
great rivalry between the two.
‘‘We practised on the tennis court at home, without gloves and pads, and
that’s against Bobby too. If there were no matches on a weekend Riamukka
and Nowendoc would play each other. There was a cup donated by Mrs Arthur
Margery for the comp between the two clubs. There was a lot of rivalry there. “I played with the [Walcha] district side right through until I became secretary
of the golf club. Then I went back to Gloucester, taking my mother down to see her
sister, and I went straight into the Gloucester Firsts in the John Bull Shield. Tony
East and I put on a record opening stand against Upper Hunter down at Maitland. ‘‘The best match I ever played in was for Northern Tablelands against Tasmania
up in Armidale, against Gary Brakey. That was a state side, they’d played England
[in an MCC tour match in January 1963] and he’d got 3-9 against England.*
The Poms refused to take the field the next day because they reckoned he was
throwing. He got [Ted] Dexter for a duck. Dexter threw his bat as he came in and
said ‘another bloody thrower, another Meckiff’, and it put Brakey out of cricket
eventually. But a fortnight or three weeks later we played ’em in Armidale and we
beat ’em outright. I batted from 10 o’clock in the morning till lunchtime and then
I did 40 minutes after lunch. Keep him out. I didn’t think he threw. Only the one.
That was the last one before lunch when he took my thumbnail off. When he hit
me, he hit me in front of my nose off a good length and when I came off I couldn’t
get my batting gloves off. When I had a look at my thumb he’d lifted the nail clean
out of the socket. This was at the racetrack ground. After that tour match the
reporters kept at him. Lance Kermode and I, we had a good look at him and he
took a second new ball and Peter Fenwicke got 70 and the captain of Inverell got
80. We finished up with about 360 against them on the Saturday and then we got
’em out twice on the Sunday. Peter Fenwicke got 6-36 against Tasmania. ‘‘After lunch on the first day, Walter Taylor, who got out for duck, said ‘I want
you out there for another 40 minutes ’cause they’re gunna have to go with those
two fast bowlers and you’ve seen ’em now for two-and-half hours. I want you back
out there for 40 minutes’ and I showed him my thumb and he got a bit of sticking
plaster and put it back and I went out for another 40 minutes and we got 360. Peter
Fenwicke got 70 that day. It was a top wicket.
‘‘Peter Fenwicke got 6-36. I didn’t know he could bowl that well. He slowed
down. He used to bowl a lot of that rubbishy seamin’ stuff [in the Walcha comp].
And he slowed down and he got a south-easter and he tucked the ball into the
south-easter and dropped it in this mark on the wicket where Brakey turned off the
wicket. He got spin and he drifted it and I got three catches along the wicket and
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Walter Taylor got three in slips when they played back. When they played forward
I got three close handy and when they played back Walter Taylor got three.” [Editor’s note. The only reference I can find to Gary Brakey is in a match for
the Tasmania Combined XI, meaning the team had guest players, in this case Bill
Lawry, Brian Booth, Norm O’Neill and Barry Shepherd, against the MCC in early
January, 1963. ‘‘The main talking point was the chucking action of the Tasmanian
bowlers Keith Aldridge (1-63) and Gary Brakey (2-67), who were roundly
condemned by the English pressmen.’’ Maybe Brakey snared 2-9 in one spell,
and ended up with 2-67. He doesn’t appear to have ever had figures of 3-9 against
the Poms. Which doesn’t devalue Herb’s story. Brakey was certainly slippery and
the only reason he was ‘‘roundly condemned by the English pressmen’’ was due
to Dexter’s whingeing. Owen Sweeney says: “I was in the side that beat Tasmania
and that beat Tasmanian Colts here as well. A bloke by the name of Brakey. He
was the one who went through the Poms over in New Zealand and they called
him a chucker. I think it was sour grapes. I couldn’t see anything wrong with his
action, but he was the fastest bowler I ever faced. He cleaned Cowdrey up and I
think Cowdrey got the poops.” And then the England team or management planted
the seed among journalists. “It was a shame because he was only a young fella.
Still only a Colt because it was not long after we played them in Armidale that
he played against the Poms in Tasmania. He was a bloody good bowler. Maybe
Sween’s on the money – Brakey might have played in New Zealand in some side
against the Poms, then Northern Tablelands, then England again].
Interestingly enough the MCC played Northern NSW later in January in
Newcastle. I wonder if any of the Northern Tablelands players and therefore
Walcha players were under consideration for selection, just like Sunny Jim all
those years ago. I would’ve liked the recollections of comparing notes about
Brakey with ‘‘Lord’’ Ted Dexter. But back to Herb.
‘‘I won the batting average a couple of years in a row in the ’50s I’d say.
[Eldest son] Rob’s won it three times I think.’’
Herb’s record in district, representative and invitational cricket is as impressive
as it is at club level. ‘‘When [the Walcha District side with its new boys after the War] kicked off,
Armidale had Doc Smith, from the uni. He’d played for Cambridge, a left-hander,
and he used to give Walcha an awful doin’ there in the ’50s before we got seasoned.
He was a Pommy. He was a terrible awkward bloke when we were young players.
He was left-handed and he could make it kick up chest-high coming across. An
awkward bugger. We learnt it the hard way. They give us some whackings.’’ But they survived and along with Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode always
seemed to get runs. ‘‘And Max Holstein. Oh yeah, a good bat. And Roy Chandler and Peter
Fenwicke and then Bobby [R.A.] were getting wickets. It was a good team. We had
everything. We had about three good medium-pacers like Max Holstein that could
tie one end down. We had a couple of good fasties like Ronnie Green and those
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blokes, Freddy Roper in the early days and Jimmy Fletcher. Gordon Jamieson, he
was a cutters man. He’s still up there [in the retirement home]. I saw him the other
day. I always tell him about the day he put the cleaners through us and took 5-4.
“When we got seasoned we were all right. We went out and played Inverell
out there. The first time the state side had flown to Brisbane, otherwise they had
to go by train, but this time they dropped in to Inverell and Inverell gave them a
reasonably good match. We then played a draw with Inverell, 9-160 chasin’ 360, in
that heat too, and Gordon Jamieson. Andy Fletcher said to Gordon Jamieson ‘don’t
bother going home’ and Andy went out to umpire. When that Gordon came in to
bat old Andy said ‘don’t touch anything outside that off stump. There’s two overs
to go and we can play a draw’ and Gordon went flick, straight past first slip, and
then flick. I was batting at the other end and Andy Fletcher nearly had a fit [Herbie
imitates Gordon fishing outside off-stump].
‘‘Cliff Wheaton just leaned over the fence one day, I was playing against
Armidale and fielding at fine leg and he just leaned over the fence he said ‘want
a cricket tour?’ and I said ‘yep’. I didn’t ask where or why. We went up the North
Coast and from then on I toured every year for over 30-odd years. I captained them
for a long time. Cliff Wheaton never played cricket, but he invited us to play. Col
Wall from Walcha was the manager. Cliff Wheaton just enjoyed it and he believed
if cricket survived then the British Empire survived.’’ Cricket was strong because it was well-organised, player numbers were good
there was constant exposure at rep level. “The Sunday comp in the Walcha district was as good a comp as I’ve ever
played in. It was all-day Sunday, families went, it was social cricket, but it was
played terrible hard. There were 32 teams in the Walcha comp with three grades.
Yarrowitch, Lonsdale Bridge, Brackendale, Bendemeer, Watsons Creek, Niangala
. . . every little area had people. There’s no one left. This country’s mad. We had
three cricket teams at Nowendoc. It’s a disgrace what’s happened to the bush. We
don’t deserve to have country.’’ With Herb playing from the late 1940s and eldest son Rob joining him when on
holidays from boarding school, and then grandson Andrew playing in the Walcha
comp until recently, the Lauries are one of the families with an uninterrupted
involvement with Walcha cricket from the end of World War II. Not the only one
I might add.
‘‘[Grandson] Andrew won the batting average in his first season. I won it
twice, Rob won it three times . . . and Andrew has now won it once. I’ve never
seen Andrew play.
‘‘I played with Rob in the inter-district side and we beat Inverell in the final
of the Tablelands comp. In those days you played one home and one away. Played
each district side twice. It was pretty hard to win that Northern Tablelands and you
couldn’t afford to get caught on a bad wicket. That final match with Inverell was
played in Walcha. I got runs and I got run out, I was 70-something, and Rob got
the last 25 or 35, and then we went on to beat Tamworth in the War Veterans’ Cup. ‘‘The War Veterans’ Cup is the ultimate. You’ve got to win the Tablelands and
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you can’t afford to have anything go against you.’’ It says a lot about the quality of players and the balance of the best of those
inter-district sides. Yet youth was introduced where possible. Denis Wall must
have only been about 16 when he was included in the last War Veterans’ Cupwinning side. ‘‘We took Denis to Brisbane Country Week too. You don’t throw kids to the
lions though. That’s why I finished up in the latter years taking these teams to
Walgett and Coonamble and places. The younger players, you don’t let ’em get
thrown to the lions ’cause the lions will eat ’em you know. You give ’em an awful
bashin’ and they don’t get over it.’’ But you’d do exactly the same thing? ‘‘We’re here to play cricket, we’re not here for fun.’’ Yes, we play it hard around here. ‘‘You can hold ’em together, you can hold younger blokes together. You’ve got
to get a few runs or take a good catch just to keep ’em up. And not only that, you’ve
got to get ’em to bed.
‘‘There are two ways of playing cricket. You can go out to bat and keep the fast
bowlers out until the boys get on top, or other blokes can come in when you want
the runs. But you’ve got to keep those fast blokes out or they’ll go through you. For
a long time that’s what my job was, to be there. Peter Fenwicke was a good captain.
He used to say to me ‘I don’t want you back in Herb until I read the funnies’. And
he used to go half to sleep and read the Sunday papers and he’d get to the comics.
And I’d see him get in the car at the 10 o’clock start and then I’d see him get out at
12 o’clock and I knew it was time to get a few runs. ‘‘Col Wall, I think, was my first district captain and then Percy Golledge for a
while. Andy Fletcher was a good captain. He never gave anything away. He didn’t
take any prisoners. I more or less came in then and captained for a long time and
Wheaton’s as well. I spent a lot of time as captain.’’ Four players since the War represented Country. Rob Blomfield thought he
was a good bush cricketer, but that Neville Holstein was a cut above.
‘‘Neville could annihilate an attack. He did at Brisbane Country Week. Digger
Colts and that Don Bichel. As we were going into the grandstand at Ken Mackay’s
home ground, Digger Colts, they were a smart lot of fellas, and they thought they
were going to win Country Week, and as we were going up the grandstand they
said ‘We beat ’em on the first innings, we’ve got the thing sewn up. We only got
to beat ’em on first innings, we won’t bother doing them outright.’ And Neville
Holstein and I heard it and we give ’em a whackin’. Neville Holstein got 40-odd
runs off the second-last over. He hit a six, Ken Mackay’s home ground, it landed
out of the ground on the middle of the road and ended up in a garage over the other
side of the road. The last time I was in Brisbane I went out there just to see how
big a six that was. It was a big six. Their captain came up to their fast bowler and
bought him back. He said ‘That young fella that’s there batting with that older
fella’, Neville Holstein was the older bloke, the young bloke was Farrell from
Armidale. He said ‘Kill him if you can’t get him out. Kill him.’ Neville Holstein
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heard it and by geez he took 40-odd runs off his over. Neville could do things like
that. Probably good enough to play for NSW, especially with his ability against
spin. He could annihilate a spinner. He wiped Gleeson out. From memory it was
0-120, might have been 0-109. ‘‘When they made me captain of Northern Tablelands I had to get those young
blokes to bed. I worked out, if you come off the field and let them go random for
too long they’ll stay there all night. They’ll be gone all night. So what you do, you
go to a cafe and you let ’em know you’ll have their tea ready for ’em at 8 o’clock
or half-past eight. You have their tea ready. Then you come back and they’re still
in their creams and they’ve had a few and a big meal and you say ‘Listen, if you
need those creams for tomorrow you’d better go and have a shower and put some
other gear on’ and they go back and it’ll be 10 o’clock and they’ll be ready to go to
bed. That’s how I worked it out. If you could get the feed into them and get ’em to
have a shower they’ll be right. Otherwise they’ll roam all night. They’re terrible
fit you know.’’ The first turf wicket you saw was in 1948 at Gunnedah. ‘‘There was a match against Inverell when about eight of us got out lbw to a
leg-spinner, bowlin’ top-spinners, skiddin’ orf and he was bowling short enough.
If you hooked and missed you were gone lbw. None of us knew anything about it.
But we learned.’’ Peter Philpott reckons Australian cricket should be based on downwind speed
and into-the-wind leg-spin. ‘‘That’s right. I agree with that. The best leg-spinner in the north was Roy
Chandler. We had him there for years. Then we had Peter Fenwicke as well. Peter
didn’t display his ability until that match, that one against those Tasmanians. He
was unplayable that day. He was written up when he was at school in Sydney as
a successor to [Ernie] Toshack. He never showed it in Walcha. He used to bowl
that fast-lookin’ stuff, inswing sort of stuff, but he was better off to bowl spin. He
deserved to get picked for Country. He captained Australia in rugby union. Died
as a young man.
‘‘Lance Kermode had the ability to go to the next level. He was offered the
chance to play after Brisbane Country Week. He got a century there and the
umpire, an A-grade umpire, said ‘I’ve come to see you fellas [Wheaton’s] because I
wanted to know how good you were’. And he said ‘that fellow that got the century,
that was against a state bowler’. Keith Ziebell his name was. He was a state firstchange bowler. He cleaned-bowled me. [Gives description of delivery.] Not often I
got bowled. He was too good for me, but Lance got a century that day and he [the
umpire] said ‘Tomorrow we’re coming back to the same ground and there’ll be a
bloke sitting up in that stand. He’s a state selector, he’s coming to have look.’ What
did Lance do that night? Barossa Pearl.
‘‘He said ‘It doesn’t make you drunk’. We were in a Chinese cafe, carpet, and
people, and people in suits and he ordered some dish or other and it come back
and it had spaghetti and he said ‘By geez I hate spaghetti. My mother makes me
eat spaghetti. I don’t like spaghetti’ and he gets a fork and he chucks it over his
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head into the fan. He was chuckin’ spaghetti all over the place. Well gee we had
trouble with that fella. There were about 14 Chinamen all there goin’ crook. We
had to buy them orf. “And the next day what did he do? He didn’t get a duck, but he got about two
runs, dropped twice doin’ it and then he dropped two catches in slips in front
of the state selectors. And they still made him an offer to play grade cricket in
Brisbane. And I’m sure he would’ve played for Queensland. I saw him against
that A-grade bowler, Armidale sneaked him in against us one day up there at the
university and he said to me as we were walking out, Lance and I opened, he said
‘Do you know this Rennie Mullen?’ and I said ‘I know everything he does, he was
reared in Nowendoc. He doesn’t get me out, but he gets on one of me stumps and
I can’t get him away.’ He’d just go across your stumps till he found your weakness
then he’d just bowl at that stump. Lance said ‘You look after Rennie Mullen’ and
I said ‘I will’ and I said ‘The other bloke’s an A-grader from Sydney and he’s got
a tremendous off-cutter that kicks at you.’ And he said ‘I’ll handle him’ and six
overs afterwards that A-grader from Sydney threw the ball back . . . 0-72 . . . No
doubt Lance give him some. And he’s an A-grader. He refused to bowl anymore.’’ So you were more than just cricketing teammates? You were good mates? ‘‘Oh yeah. He was a pleasure to bat with. If he was in trouble I’d give him the
strike and say ‘Do you reckon you can handle this bloke?’ But he used to say to
me ‘Can you look after this spinner?’ I had the ability in latter years to let the ball
come to me, particularly on the leg peg, and just let it hit the bat and go forward
of square and if there was a man there you could just roll it around the corner and
you could get the strike. ‘‘Owen Sweeney was another beauty I opened with. He used to drive ’em off a
length. If they weren’t pitched up he’d drive them and I’d be still on the back foot.
I’d let Owen have a couple of overs at him and he’d drive him back. And suddenly
he’d be short for me and I’d be able to turn him around the corner.’’ Partnerships in every sense? ‘‘Every local team had developed their own characteristics. She was hard tucker.
That Round Swamp with the Hoys. Alick Bird was an extremely good club cricketer,
but every time they put him in district cricket he sort of got a bit shorter, bowled a bit
shorter and didn’t give the ball much chance to swing and things. He could get that
off-cutter working, but he never seemed to realise the ability that he had. “Percy Golledge at Walcha Road was a law unto himself. He’d kill kids you
know. He didn’t mind hittin’ ya. There was tremendous rivalry between Commercial
and Colts. Colts were Commercial’s juniors and when it was time for them to
come up into A-grade they formed their own club. There was tremendous rivalry.
Commercial disliked the Colts and still do. Owen Sweeney still does because of
that. ‘‘There were good cricketers and a good standard. If you could play cricket in
the Walcha comp on the coir mats, you could bat nearly anywhere. On coir you can
square-cut and you can hook.
‘‘Good wicketkeepers? Andy Fletcher and Don Margery on his day, but he
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could have an off day and he’d do all sorts of queer things. Snappin’ at em’ with one
hand. But that stumping he did down at the War Veterans’ Cup . . . Andy Fletcher’s
was the Inverell captain, the big fella, when Sammy Stephens was bowling. ‘‘Gordon Jamieson did get wickets at district level. A bloke named Barndon,
a left-handed opening bowler playing with Armidale was batting left-handed at
no.11. Gordon couldn’t get him out, so he bowled that thing out of the back of his
hand and it kicked and hit him on the nose, busted his nose. Probably got his lift
from extra spin. ‘‘When Gordon broke his nose that Barndon had his wife and three or four
little kids in a little car over under a pine tree near Apsley Motors and at 10 o’clock
that night Robert and I were going home and the car was still there. We thought
we’d better go and check it. And he couldn’t get his car going. And here he is with
a broken nose, a cranky wife and four squealing kids and he said ‘I’ll never play
cricket in Walcha again’ and he never did. He played bowls though. Took a heap
of trophies at the Bowling Club. One day they said ‘You never come back playing
cricket?’ and he said ‘I never would either’. Couldn’t get his car to go. Broken nose,
cranky wife and four screaming kids.’ ‘‘We [Riamukka] were playing a final against Ingleba on The Park. We were
chasing 183. I was opening batsman and I got out at 4-170, we wanted 13 runs.
And as soon as I got out Gordon Jamieson came back on because I always hit him
for a four first-up to put him off. He went off pretty quick. And he came back on
and took 5-4. And they beat us. Dave McHilton, the best fast bowler in the district,
was playing for them. ‘‘Jim Laurie was quick. He was bowling at 90mph down in Sydney for Northern
District. He didn’t swing the ball or anything, he just grabbed it and bowled. He was
a terrible man on the ball because after about four overs he’d lost all the shine. He
bowled a ball at that opening bat for Glen Innes, little black-headed looking bloke,
only about my height. I was wicketkeeping that day and he put his head down
like that, and the ball all but would have killed him, but it rolled along the back of
his neck and when he stood up, it was like a dog fight, all the hairs stood up. If it
would’ve hit him it would’ve killed him I think. He put his head down like that.”
Herbie has always been a stickler for cricket’s conventions. ‘‘Standards were maintained in Walcha. When Rob and Irwin Brazel and
those blokes came into it, they played it properly. It’s only dropped off because
of lack of numbers. That’s why they came to Brisbane Country Week, to have a
look at us and they said you fellas are all right. We were the first team to play in
Brisbane Country Week from outside the state. That was Wheaton’s. We had that
good a name we were always welcome. Then you had teams like Goondiwindi go
in there. You played all day. You went up on Christmas Day, started on Boxing
Day and you had five days in the heat. There was none of this knocking off at 3
o’clock because the two innings were finished. You went and got another three
wickets and got a point. If you got 100 runs you got a point. Have I mentioned
Lance Kermode batting against Don Bichel? ‘‘I was captain and we all but beat them on this bad wicket. Billy Holstein
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dropped the last man when they were 111 and they got 113 against our 112. And I
said to Bichel because the wicket had holes and all sorts of things, and I said ‘It’s
dried out now and you’ll be unplayable on this. I ’spose you want us to bat again’
and he said ‘That’s the idea, we can get a point or two’ and I can see him getting
five wickets there. So I said to Lance ‘Go in and go for him.’ And another fella,
Crawford was his name, a long-legged bloke from up the North Coast, about sixfoot tall, defensive bat, I said put your foot down the wicket and put your bat beside
your pad and play him that way. So he did that and Lance got into him and we
were 0-110 or something. We got the bonus point, Bichel went home. Never played
again. He was playing with Ipswich, but he never played again. I don’t know, he
might have got sick or something. But if you’re the representative off-spinner for
the state and you’re getting a bashing at Country Week you don’t take the chance
of getting another bashing tomorrow. Anyhow he disappeared.’’ Anybody that’s played the game knows that bowlers sometimes get carted and
batsmen sometimes get ducks. ‘‘That’s the beauty of Nowendoc. They said ‘How about having a game with
Gloucester down at Maitland?’ We’d go. We did. As long as you get a game of
cricket.’’ There’s no one memory that takes precedence? ‘‘All cricket. I was playing in a game for Northern Tablelands against Hunter
Valley when a thousand runs were scored over the weekend. Elspeth Howie bipped
the horn and started hollerin’.’’ [A clipping from Robert Blomfield contains a
scoreboard of him opening the batting for TAS and scoring 107 against Churches.
But also included is a report of a match between Northern Tablelands and Hunter
Valley played at Scone. Rob’s good mate Bill King was playing for the senior
Tablelands side while still at TAS and scored a century (114) in the match. Also in
the Tablelands side were Herb Laurie, opening (11) and Lance Kermode, first drop
(33). Ren Mullen is in the side as well. This may be the match Herb recalls when
Elspeth Howie tooted the horn but there wasn’t 1000 runs scored (Hunter Valley
378) were rolled by Northern Tableland (443) unless there was a second innings.]
‘‘I can talk about that match in England. It’s supposed to be over-40 but you’d
run into blokes 35. I had to bat against the [former] opening bowling for New
Zealand, Bob Cunis. He was the same as Bobby, a swing bowler. I took strike and
he bowled the first over and he bowled me three inswingers on a good length, a
bit quicker than Bobby, but not much. Then I could see him lift his leg, the same
as Bobby used to, and whack it down and I thought, well, off-cutter, just short of a
length on my leg peg and it went through here. Then he bowled me a seamer, same
as that. He had a leg slip and it lifted enough for a leg slip, so I poked him around
the corner along the ground past leg-slip for two runs and then the last ball was
a swinging yorker. So I said to him at the end of the over ‘Are you going to have
another one at me?’ and he said ‘No, I’m not going to let you sit on me. I’ll come in
and ruin your middle order.’ Which he did do.’’ So you always read the ball out of the hand? ‘‘At one stage when I thought I was playing reasonably well I could see the
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seam. It takes years of experience. You learn and you still learn. You pick up on
the body action of a bowler, that comes from having played a lot of cricket. I’ll give
you an example. We played a side out at Moree Cricket Carnival and the opening
bowler was the opening bowler for a Sydney university. He was trained by [Geoff]
Lawson. When Lawson wasn’t playing this bloke was the main bowler. Walcha
used to go to Moree Cricket Carnival and they’d come past me and [nephew]
Chris Laurie always got somebody mixed up or forgot to notify someone so they’d
always come past me and say ‘Better get your pads on Herb, we’re short.’ So I
went out there and I met up with this bloke. He’s coming this way and every now
and then I could get him around the corner for a single, but every so often he’d
make one go and I dropped that wrist away. I only made 17 runs off 20 overs and
I thought ‘he’s a good bowler this bloke’. He could do a bit with that ball, but at
the end of the match he come to me and he said ‘Can I talk to you?’ and I said
‘Yeah, what?’ and he said ‘How did you know which way the ball was going?’
And I said ‘I dunno, I just sort of sensed it somehow’ and he said ‘I’ve got to be
doing something wrong. Lawson said no one can pick what I’m doing with the
ball’ and he said ‘You were’ and I said ‘Yeah, I knew if it was coming this way or
that way’ and he hit me on the inside of the leg there and I was bruised from there
to the ankle too. He was quick enough, and I said ‘I just sort of sensed it’ and he
said ‘You can’t do that, I’m unpickable’, and it worried the devil out of him. I think
that must have been experience somehow. He said ‘I’ve got to be doing something
wrong, something’s creeping into my game.’ ‘‘If you get a real quickie, you don’t hit the ball, they hit the bat. Brakey was
one of them. He hit the bat. They’re pretty rapid. ‘‘I’ll tell you about one more match. I was in Gloucester at a cattle sale on
the Tuesday and I’m walkin’ down the street and the president of the Gloucester
Cricket Association, Laurie Atkins, sang out ‘Herbie, I want ya’ so I went over
there and I said ‘What’s the problem?’ and he said ‘We’ve got to play GosfordWyong at Maitland next weekend’ and he said ‘I hate to sorta concede defeat
without a match.’ He said ‘We’re five men short, can you round up five?’ This is
for district cricket, John Bull Shield and I come home and I got Lincoln Wright
and [son] Rob and Georgie Lyon and Neville Holstein and myself and put ’em in
my large Ford Fairlane and down we go. Anyhow Laurie Atkins said ‘Don’t try
and beat this Gosford-Wyong mob, we can’t beat ’em. Five of them have played
against the Englishmen just recently and they did all right. They’re all Davidsons
or Davidson’s cousins, this Gosford-Wyong. Don’t try to beat ’em.’ And it was hot.
We were at Maitland and the sweat was just running off, down the middle of your
back, at 10 o’clock in the morning. He said ‘What they’ll do, they will send you in,
Gloucester will get 120 by about an hour after lunch, and they’ll get the runs and
by 3 o’clock or 4 o’clock we’re gone. Have a beer and we’ll be back in Gloucester
by 5 o’clock.’ ‘‘And I said ‘Is that the run of it? We don’t play it that way you know.’ And
he said ‘Well don’t try, ’cause they’re too good.’ And I said to the boys, we’ll sit
on these blokes, that wicket’s all right and the umpire’s my friend. He does all the
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official matches in the Hunter Valley and he doesn’t give lbws. So play forward,
if he hits you above the pad you’re not out. If you play forward you’re not out. So
play forward. ‘‘Sure enough they sent us in and after about five overs they’re saying ‘This
silly old bastard doesn’t know how to play cricket. If he did know any shots he’s
forgotten ’em.’ And I’m in the heat there pattin’ ’em back, pattin’ ’em back. And
we stonewalled, we lost a wicket along the way and then another one. We were
2-120 at lunchtime. And the second fella that got out I said to him go straight
across to the bowling club, we’re going to have lunch over there. Order 13 chicken
salads for a quarter to one. And that’ll give ’em time to go over and have one beer
and it’ll be sit down and have a meal. I said let this opposition do what they want
to do. And I said to the umpire ‘You’ll have lunch with us won’t you?’ And he said
‘Of course I will.’ I said Gloucester can pay for it. ‘‘Anyhow we dusted ’em. We got 240, which wasn’t that big a score. It’s the
best I ever saw Rob bowl, off-cutters and he was getting’ outswing. I said to the
boys we’ll make these blokes work in that sun because by 3 o’clock the easterly
will come in from the coast and these blokes from Gosford-Wyong they don’t
know about hot weather. And this is hot weather here. God, bloody hot. Christ it
was hot.
‘‘Anyhow Rob bowled the best I’d seen him. I think he finished up with about
five or 6-30. And they’d played [Fred] Titmus and they reckon the way Rob bowled
that day was a well as Titmus. Anyhow we did ’em and the captain sort of half
shook hands and none of the others said anything. No one had a beer. They all
cleared out. The Gloucester president said ‘I didn’t think I’d ever see us beat
Gosford.’ ‘‘Anyhow the next August I was in Walcha. My wife was playing tennis
in Armidale. We had to be in Walcha at half-past eight ’cause she had to go to
Armidale and I’m sitting in the car reading the Sydney cricket in the Sunday paper
and the story said there was a bye in the Sydney comp and they’re either going
to bring in Gosford-Wyong or Penrith to take up the bye. And I was sittin’ there
quietly and Davey Fletcher drives up and he says ‘Hey, what’s ya doing?’ and I said
‘Well nothing, why? I’ll be here till 6 o’clock tonight.’ Davey says can you come to
Guyra with us to the meeting of the Northern Tablelands? And I said ‘Yeah why
not? It’s something to do.’ So off we go. In those days, when the NSW Cricket
Association had a good season moneywise they sent a representative around to
check if you were running the show properly, but they’d usually give a cheque of
500 quid, which he did, to help with juniors and stuff like that. Anyhow the only
thing we got out of it was lunch. I said to him, ‘Which team are you picking to put in
the Sydney comp?’ He said ‘I can tell you now because it’s coming out on Tuesday,
Penrith.’ I said ‘What will happen to Gosford-Wyong?’ He said ‘They didn’t win
the John Bull Shield.’ He said ‘A small town called Gloucester beat ’em.’ I said
‘What was wrong?’ He said ‘We got an official report from the umpire because we
thought it must have been a bad wicket. And he said they were late getting there,
he’d pinged ’em two overs before they started and he said they chipped everyone
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that played, comments were nasty, that was me, and he said they had a liquid lunch
and came back an over late, so I took another over off ’em.’ What I didn’t say was
he also gave Rob an lbw and that umpire never gave lbws. And he said in my
opinion they’re not fit to play grade cricket in Sydney. And I opened my mouth to
say I was in that match and I thought, Jesus no. I’m not even in that comp. ‘‘Lincoln Wright loved that match. He got a couple of wickets. They reckoned
they were the best team on the coast. I dropped a catch off Rob and he told me to
get out of there you’re getting too old for slips.’’ We play it hard around here. ‘‘They were keen [his team] they were having a go. After lunch I went back
and had another go for 15 minutes. I asked the umpire at lunch how long we had
and he said you’ve got another hour and a quarter or another hour and 25 minutes
or something, so I went back for another quarter of an hour and said ‘You young
blokes, don’t get swishin’, just hit and run, hit and run, and make these bastards
work in the heat.’ And then I said ‘We’ll get the cool wind.’ At about 3 o’clock the
breeze came in and we bowled in the cool.’’ Why did Nowendoc move from the Walcha comp? “Some of ’em started to live down there [Gloucester]. I played a good few
matches with Gloucester in the John Bull Shield too. Gloucester were good players
at home, but they didn’t travel. About four were travellers, but the team were all
right at home, but they weren’t too good when they got somewhere else. They
weren’t like Nowendoc. Nowendoc had to travel. We had to travel no matter what
we did.’’ Was cricket better when all the little communities had their own teams and
grounds? ‘‘Oh yeah. It was the main relaxation. The women were involved, you had your
lunch there. And the home team provided the sandwiches for afternoon tea. Cakes
and things. You’d put a four-gallon tin over the fire and make tea. It was a better
standard. There was a lot of cheating. You had to watch that. Some of ’em weren’t
real reliable. You had to watch what you were doing with some of ’em. ‘‘One afternoon Barry Holstein walked in to bat at 25 minutes to six and we
played another over for him to get the hundred. I’ve had a lot of cricket and a lot
of fun too. ‘‘I don’t think Barry Holstein would’ve been as good as Roy Chandler. Roy
was a bit out of the ordinary. He played in the War years up in the islands. ‘‘We played that Inverell on the Walcha Park in the first match one year and
they’d played football on it and torn it up, so they’d covered it with sawdust. We
loaded this ute up with sawdust and pushed it over against the fence and chucked
this sawdust out near the gate that used to go out near the Bowling Club. Reg
Finney got on to Roy Chandler and hit him for what was going for six, it would
have gone on to the middle of the road. I could see it was going to go over my head,
so I ran up the sawdust pile and jumped and caught it and that Reg Finney when he
came past he said ‘That wasn’t an unfair advantage you took there was it?’ and I
said ‘Me? No.’ You didn’t often get Reg Finney out. He was a good player. Inverell
had some good players. Smith was a big inswing bowler.’’ We Play It Hard Around Here
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And some of the youngsters that came through in your time? ‘‘I’ll tell you about Irwin Brazel. When we were at that carnival at Moree,
what was the name of that big fast bowler Moree had? Thought he could bowl
and he could too. We were 3-4 and I was batting and I met Irwin coming in and I
said to Irwin ‘Try and keep the end up otherwise we won’t get 50 runs’ and Irwin
goes out there ‘She’ll be right’ and goes bang, bang, bang and hit him for three
fours. And that big fast bowler was nowhere near as good from then on. And we
finished up beating that mob that day. We were 3-4 and this bloke’s bowling with
the wind behind him and Jesus he was quick there for a bit and Brazel went bang,
bang, bang. But then on other days against lesser bowlers he’d just throw the bat. ‘‘No doubt that Irwin Brazel had ability. Anything he tried. When he liked. ‘‘I saw Mark Peters hit a ball at Brisbane Country Week if it had’ve hit the
batsman at the other end or the umpire it would’ve killed him. And the fellow
fielding three-quarters of the way to the fence, it hit him in the chest and knocked
him over and he broke his wrist. By Jesus that thing was hit. It was the hardest-hit
ball I think I ever saw.” And the older brigade?
‘‘That Rennie Mullen drilled me once. He broke a heap of bones. He wasn’t a
Freddy Roper, but he was faster than Jimmy Fletcher though. That Jimmy Fletcher
was all right. He hit me on that Walcha Park from there to there. With two leg slips
I just had to let ’em hit me. ‘‘Yarrowitch had Lester Moore. Bit better than medium-pace late-swing
bowler and that Stan Moore used to bowl off-tweakers that he floated. It’s a
fact there are no swing bowlers any more. That’s what’s wrong with Australia’s
batting. They’re shaky unless they get on a real good wicket on a real good day,
they’ll get heaps of runs, but if she’s swinging about they’re shaky fellows. Lester
Moore used to bowl late swingers and Stan Moore his brother used to bowl offtweakers, cut ’em in the air a bit, but he could make ’em float. And that was an
awkward combination.’’ On any day in the Walcha comp you could be batting against quality speed,
swing, seam or spin.
‘‘I used to play Roy Chandler off the wicket, but he’d beat you in the air if you
got mucking about though. ‘‘That Percy Golledge at Walcha Road. One of those blokes at Walcha Road
one day a Natty or a Boyd, he threw it along the ground and Percy put his foot
down and stopped it and he turned round and he kicked it back past the bloke that
threw it and said ‘Now throw it in properly’. He was a tough skipper. He was the
district captain at one stage. Not for long.”
Herb became a tough captain himself.
‘‘Do you want me to tell you what I did to Clancy Griffiths? He was a larrikin
from Guyra and we were down at Tasmania playing at Port Arthur. They had us
staying at a guest house and it’s a stupid thing to put cricketers in a guest house.
They found out there was pub not far away and I heard them at 11 o’clock at night,
in the garage, drinking beer. I could hear them giggling and going on. So I went
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out and sharpened them up and I said we’re playing tomorrow and it’s a Kippax
mat on concrete and it’s going to be a hard match. They’ve got a good team. Go to
bed. And at 1 o’clock I heard them again and I went out and I said to this Clancy
Griffiths you’re the ringleader aren’t you? He was a fast left-arm bowler and I said
tomorrow I’m bowling you for 25 overs, straight, uphill. And the next morning
I pointed to the uphill end and threw him the ball and said that’s your end and I
bowled him for 21 overs straight. Poor bastard, it was hot, and as he was walking
off he said out of the corner of his mouth ‘thought you’d weaken’. So I gave him
four downhill. I said there’s your 25.’’
Did you win?
‘‘No, I thought we were in a winning position and they reckoned they had 20
quid for anyone that could hit the ball out of the ground into the ocean and I got
caught out trying to do it. I holed out and we got done by about five runs. He was
a terrible good bowler that Clancy Griffiths.’’
Walcha’s always been competitive, even when player numbers are down.
‘‘When we had that real good side, and that was a good side, we had everything.
Anything you needed to get a team out. We could peg ’em down. We never lost
a match for three years and we were classed by the NSW Cricket Association
as the best inter-district team in the state. It was a good side. It had depth, it had
everything.’’
The Second XI were making finals at the same time and those blokes in
another era would have played Firsts.
‘‘The good teams only come up once a century sort of thing, or half-century.
“Australia’s always a good team on a good wicket that’s not doing too much.
They’re good, they can play up and down that line all day, get runs too. The worry
is a swing bowler or a pitch that’s doing something.”
Did you ever think about playing grade cricket in Sydney?
“Not actually. But if I’d had the chance like Lance did I would’ve taken it. But
I didn’t go to England either did I? I had the chance.”
K
en Hoy was one of many of the famous names to keep Round Swamp not just
competitive, but at the top, for many years. He played for Lonsdale Bridge
and Colts before linking with the Swampies. He didn’t get the accolades of some of
his teammates but he had a terrific career and rarely failed to perform for Swamp
or when he was called into inter-district. He was also a “big-match player” as
a check of the scorebooks during Round Swamp’s successful years attest. His
abiding memory?
“Cricket was played hard.
“We didn’t play 40 or 50 overs, we played for points. If you got a first-innings
win you got three points, but if you whipped the other team in you got four points
and they didn’t get any.
“And there was the time component too. We started at 11am and went to lunch
at 1pm. Then we took three-quarters of an hour for lunch. Then we knocked off at
3.40 in the afternoon for tea, and played from 4pm to 6pm. We never played after
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6 o’clock. That was it. The idea was to bat first and get a decent total then strangle
the other team. And then whip ’em in again.
“Round Swamp played Commercial here on The Park and they beat us on the
first innings in a very low-scoring game. I think it was a final. We got them out
again and then went in and got the runs in the second innings and won the game.
“I got runs in that game, but Gordon Brooks was the bloke who won it for
us. He was a big hitter. You weren’t too sure where they were going when he was
bowling . . . one around your ears and one long hop. But he was a good bowler.
“The best cricketer around was Neville Holstein. But that Lance Kermode
was good though. Peter Fenwicke was a good player, a good bowler, but I didn’t
think he was quite as good as Neville or Lance. He was certainly a good cricketer.
There’s no doubt about that. They [Colts] had Jimmy Fletcher, see. Those guys,
bowling. He was a fast bowler. Just like Woolbrook and Walcha Road. They had
Percy Golledge and those guys.
“Gordon Jamieson wasn’t a fast bowler. He was just a medium-paced bowler.
But he could move the ball. He wasn’t a bad bowler. He wasn’t a bad bat either.
“I’d reckon Neville was the best but perhaps if Lance Kermode had gone on .
. . But Neville played a lot of cricket. Neville could have played grade in Sydney.
You couldn’t get Herb Laurie off a cricket pitch.
“Round Swamp have had some good players. Kevin Hoy was good, but there
were better blokes than Kevin. Roy Chandler, especially as a bowler, but he was
a good bat too. Alick Bird I’d put down as the best bowler for Round Swamp.
Him and Roy never captained and never umpired. Ray Hoy captained and Doug
Schrader captained and then probably Kevin captained later on.
“Francis Kitcher played with us. Old Alan Kitcher his father used to manage
the Memorial Club. He played with us for a long time. Neville King, another
schoolteacher. There were a lot of Brazels. Ron Moffitt. I played with him at
Yarrowitch first. And then he and Stan Chandler went to Round Swamp for a
while. Then he turned around again. Round Swamp had too many players and
Ronnie and Stan came in and played for Commercial. In my time I’d say Alick
Bird was our best player. Ray Hoy was a good bowler. So was Kevin.”
Was it Ray that ordered Tony Hoy to mankad Andrew Laurie?
“Yes I remember that at The Park. Doug Schrader and the old bloke out at
Yerrawun, Cec Macdonald, exchanged letters. Cec Macdonald wrote a letter and
Doug Schrader answered it. Colts were only a couple short of winning. Ray or
Doug Schrader told Tony to do it. It was funny how that all played out afterwards.
“Old Jim Boyd at Walcha Road, he would have run out half-a-dozen players
in his career. He’d run anybody out any time. He’d be watching out of the corner of
his eye and he’d come straight round with the ball. He ran Peter Osmond out twice
doing that. Peter was a good player. Good opening bat. Cec Macdonald must have
played before the War.”
What of those pre-War players?
“I played against Jimmy Fletcher and played with him too. Played with Jim
and Andy Fletcher. Laurie Little was just before me, but not much, because he
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and Andy Fletcher used to coach us. I was playing with Colts then. I remember
Bobby Case. I remember Max Case. He was a technician on the PMG too. Reg
King was a good bat who played with Commercial, before my time. All the good
players coming into the War. Col Wall, Viv Partridge and Dick Croft used to run
Commercial.
“Out at Glen Morrison there were the Brazels, Alby Ferris and old Dick Ferris
and all those guys. All the Brazels. They had some good players too. Out at Glen
Morrison you went past the church to the chap who had the post office and 100
yards further up through a gate and through some old stringy barks was the Glen
Morrison cricket ground. There were no toilets. No nothing there. Over further
were the goldmines. Anyway that’s where you had to go to the toilet.”
Don’t come back with a nugget?
“Owen Sweeney played there and a schoolteacher, Brian Potter. He was one of
the best bowlers around in the ’50s.”
Can you remember Percy Golledge?
“Can I what. I scored 60 runs off him once. I never got a century, 97 and 95
were my top scores. The 95 was in a final. At Round Swamp in a final, I was 95 at
lunchtime and the team were 107. Peter Osmond was eight and I was 95. I got into
poor Bluey Holstein. He was a good spin bowler too.”
You must have played spin well because you also handled Peter Fenwicke. Did
you play square of wicket?
“Not that day. I was hitting everywhere, one after the other. I got 97 down
here on the school ground against Woolbrook. I was interrupted again then too.
Went back out and got out straight away. Both times I just couldn’t get ’em before
lunchtime and got out straight away when I went back in. Neville Holstein bowled
me out at Round Swamp.”
This was another fascinating moment in an interview. I had the impression
Ken was back on the ground, taking guard to Neville. It was a great moment
of recall and you could see his mind working. Again, Neville underplayed his
bowling, but he seemed to take a lot of crucial wickets.
“He was a good cricketer.”
“Another good bowler was Dave McHattan. There were two more McHattans.
They played with Glen Morrison. Old Bert Brazel and Sam Brazel, those guys
were good cricketers. Sam was before me but I played with Bert. They’re all
Ingleba.
“It was a strong competition. Way back before I played with Round Swamp,
Kentucky was playing in the competition then. Ray and Harry played against
those blokes before I was playing for Swamp. Out at Tia we had two tennis courts
and 75 members. There were a lot more people around. Round Swamp were never
short because there were so many Hoys.
“Bert Brown. There were some good cricketers. Tom and Les Brady played,
but they were nothing compared to their younger brother Max Brady. He went
down and played in Tamworth for Bective. He was a good cricketer. Max Starr
was a good cricketer. Good bowler. He wasn’t a run-getter but he was a good
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bowler and a good fielder. Played with Colts. He won a few bowling averages.
“I remember when we won the comp and I got drunk over at the Royal Hotel
and Max got drunk.”
A Round Swamp final victory over Colts.
“I would have sooner batted against Peter Fenwicke than Freddy Roper and
Percy Golledge any old day. I played against him for three years.”
Do you think he bowled too fast in club cricket?
“He was more of a medium pacer. Alick Bird was the same. Alick wasn’t
terribly fast.”
“. . . if Max Holstein curbs his impetuosity he’d make a good batsman”.
Dick Croft
W
hen I went looking for Walcha cricket I found a lot of things, but mainly
Max Holstein. I found him in every sense. I’d taken myself to Riverview
aged-care facility to see if I could interview Alick Bird, and there was Max
walking out, having just done his rounds of making people’s day a little better. He
is unassuming, like his brother Neville, but very astute, also like Neville.
Scorebooks going back to 1953 provided by your brother show that he
[Neville], Peter Fenwicke and probably you were the standout cricketers, but you
didn’t get the recognition at representative level.
“I wasn’t quite up to that standard at the next level. At club cricket I was, but
not at the higher level. I wasn’t quite good enough. I did have a reasonable record
at district level, I went to the Emu trials in Tamworth and I played for Northern
Tablelands.”
You were a true all-rounder.
“I opened the bowling at club and bowled first-change for district. I usually
batted four, five or six. I did open in later stages for the district team with Herbie
Laurie and I fielded in the covers or first slip. I used to like the covers actually.”
Your brother Neville tells the story that when he was selected for Country for
the first time your father said that it should have been you.
“I’ve never heard that story. Neville had done so well with the Emus when he
toured with them. I never considered I was quite up to his standard as a batsman.”
He says he would never have gone to Sydney to cement a spot in the Sheffield
Shield team, which fascinates me.
“It’s hard to say if I would have gone. Back in those days all I ever wanted to
be was on the land and run cattle, so no, I probably wouldn’t have gone. But it’s
hard to say. The opportunities weren’t there in those days unless you were really
outstanding.”
But surely that’s the point.
Neville was good enough, but didn’t want to leave Riamukka. Herbie Laurie
would have jumped at the chance. Peter Fenwicke toured the world with rugby.
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Lance Kermode was tormented over giving himself that opportunity.
“Lance was offered that opportunity in Queensland. I spent a lot of time with
Lance, on Wheaton’s trips and in district cricket, and he was a great bloke, a
terrific batsman too. Sadly we lost him too young.
“He was a different bat than Neville. He was probably a sounder bat than
Neville, but Neville had more shots. That would be my candid opinion. They
probably had different temperaments, largely. Dedication is a big thing in any
sport, isn’t it? You’ve got to have that extra dedication, which I think probably
Lance had.”
There are people with potential, but part of being a sportsman is the drive.
“That dedication and extra bit of drive is so essential if you want to go to
another level.”
Players of your era say you could bowl 25 overs in the heat and still not bowl a
loose delivery. So you had the drive and dedication.
“I’d like to think that is true. But I just used to love bowling. For me it was just
the pleasure of playing.”
Stephen Goodwin remembers you coming back at a fair age and said you must
have been something special in your prime.
“It was just my love of sport. I love any sport.”
And you play tennis ambidextrously like your sister Elaine.
“She went to a coaching school and they tried to change her, but it didn’t work.
The Walcha inter-district side went undefeated for a fair spell in the late 1950s.
Did you feel part of something special?
“Yes. You did think it was something special to play for the town. It was an
honour. Back in those days people didn’t say too much about it. You just went and
played and if you were lucky enough to be selected for the town you played and did
your best. But no doubt Walcha did have good side in those days. The standard, I
guess today, is not quite there.”
That’s a numbers thing too. There were more players in the 1950s and ’60s and
a lot of players in the Seconds would have been in Firsts in any other era.
“Yes, there was pressure on and always someone ready to come in.”
You were known as someone who could clout a ball.
“I remember Dick Croft playing, probably for Commercial back in those days.
It was at Riamukka and I opened the batting and I think it was the first ball Les
Hoy bowled me and I hit him for six. And I remember Dick Croft writing in the
paper that ‘. . . if Max Holstein curbs his impetuosity he’d make a good batsman’.
I never did. That was probably my problem. Probably why I never reached the top
level.”
A bowler who could bat, or a genuine all-rounder?
“Well, it’s hard to say really. I had a fair bit of success bowling, but I did hold
the batting average for a few years. It’s hard to know really.”
It was a good era for all-rounders.
“They were, yeah. “
Roy Chandler, Peter Fenwicke, yourself, could bat one, three or four in club
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cricket and come out next day in district and bat eight, nine or 10 and score
centuries at either level.
“Peter was the greatest all-round sportsman Walcha has produced. He was
great at whatever he took on. I did enjoy playing under Peter as a captain.”
You had a few seasons of rugby.
“I played one first-grade game. I was put out on the wing against a bloke
from Tamworth, Wiseman I think his name was, and we went up to Armidale. I’d
never played wing in my life. I used to pride myself a bit on my tackling and this
Wiseman came down the sideline and I went in to tackle him and he just palmed
me off. I took about three somersaults and he scored the try. That was my only
claim to fame in one game of first grade. I used to play in the centres in the second
grade. Footy was pretty strong around here too in those days. My father didn’t
know I was playing football. We used to sneak up here of a Saturday. If I happened
to score a try I had to tell them not to put it in the paper.”
Who else stood out apart from your brother Neville, Peter Fenwicke and Lance
Kermode?
“I remember a few hidings off Lance all right. Roy Chandler, if he’d had the
opportunity, I think he could have gone on with it even to Shield level, because he
was a good bat too. Bat anywhere. Roy was a great spin bowler and we just haven’t
had anybody in his class since I suppose.”
What about you brother Barry?
“No. Barry used to be able to spin the ball well, but Roy was so accurate. He
dropped straight on a length and could do that for 10 or 20 overs. It’s hard to say
with those things, who would have made a good spin bowler.”
You are just as famous for your Wheaton’s exploits as club or district cricket.
“They were great and it was a very good standard. When I first went to Country
Week in Brisbane with Wheaton’s it was a good standard. It’s very hard to say
what my best memory is. I remember getting 90-odd at Armidale in a Tablelands
versus North-West game. Ron George, the Tamworth spin bowler complained
about the ground being too small. Peter Fenwicke had scored a hundred and I had
to wait more or less until he got out because I was using his bat and I got 90-odd.
It was a beautiful blade. That was probably the best I got at that level. I don’t think
I ever got a ton for Walcha district.”
Tactics were important because they were time games as opposed to overs
games. Herb and Owen Sweeney or Lance would bat to lunch and then the
accelerator went down. Conversely, you were in a run chase. You had to bat to the
circumstances.
“Yes, I suppose you had to bat as a team and in partnerships. It wasn’t an overs
game, but it was a one-day game. Limited-overs has been the ruination of cricket.
Now they’ve introduced Twenty-20, you may as well go into the backyard and
have a game of rounders.”
It seems all the rule changes are to make the game batter-friendly . . . to watch
them hit a few sixes.
“That’s about all it amounts to. You need a contest between bat and ball. It’s a
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shame the way it has developed, but that’s what they say the crowd wants. People
are still watching five-day cricket. I feel sorry for batsmen like Ricky Ponting who
have to change between three forms of the game. I just don’t think Twenty-20 is a
good thing for cricket in general.”
What about in your era, changing from coir mats to turf?
“I used to enjoy playing on turf. I used to like bowling on turf. If you could get
a little bit out of the wicket there was a lot of satisfaction in it. I remember when
Jimmy Laurie came to Walcha. He was pretty slippery and a left-hander into the
bargain. He was pretty nasty on The Park over here with the coir on antbeds.”
Didn’t you blokes used to get cranky with him because he’d never shine the
ball and he had no real strategy on grip.
“He was only about here for two or three years. Rennie Mullen was another
opening bowler. He was a good bowler. A good player. He was probably one of
the best. We grew up with him. In the early Nowendoc years he was prominent.
“Dick Wayte wouldn’t have been the only one left black and blue by Jimmy
Laurie.
“Colts were always hard. Probably some of the hardest battles we had were
when Nowendoc and Riamukka played. They were really tough games, but always
in good spirit. At the time it was pretty serious, but when it finished you went and
had a beer.
“Cricket was played hard in those days but I’ve noticed in the later years you
don’t see the opposing teams going to the pub and having a beer or anything like
that. Or if they go somewhere like the Bowling Club one team will sit at one end
and the other team somewhere else away from them.
“Some of the best mates you make in life are through sport, in my book. I think
people that don’t get together and interact with opponents are missing out.”
Owen Sweeney tells a funny yarn about Inverell’s Reg Finney hitting Roy
Chandler for four sixes in a row and drinking pints and the young Walcha players
under the table.
“Most of the teams mixed with the opposition in those days. Particularly in
club cricket, you’d go back to the club or pub and have a few beers with them.”
From the late-1970s New England used to put a keg on at Harris Park after
inter-district.
“That should happen more often. That’s what sport is all about. This
professional sport today is not sport any more.”
You’ve raised the case of Ricky Ponting and how at one stage he was expected
to change between three forms of cricket. How does a bowler like Mitchell
Johnson, on a top-tier contract, bowl four wides in a row?
“That’s right. It wouldn’t happen in club cricket. I thought Johnson was going
to be good. You have to feel sorry for the captain when a bowler is going for eight
or 10 runs an over.”
This is coming from a bloke who played most of his cricket in the eight-ball
over days.
“You can’t understand with all the training they do why they can’t be accurate.
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“I got my first hundred playing Yarrowitch on the old rodeo ground on the
old dirt wicket. An old antbed wicket in those days. I was 15 years old. I played for
Nowendoc in those days. When Nowendoc went to Gloucester much later I was
living in Taree and playing there. I played with Old Bar and got a few runs. When
I was older I arranged a social game against Gloucester, but I never played district
cricket against them.
“Johnny Martin was still playing in Taree.”
Do you remember when Lance Kermode and Neville Holstein took John
Gleeson apart in Tamworth and within 12 months Gleeson was the “mystery
spinner” for Australia?
“I remember Don Margery stumping Ro Shelton off Bobby Laurie over the
stumps.”
Who was the state player you cleaned up with an off-cutter? He was just
getting threatening in his innings. That’s probably a dumb question because you
cleaned up many batsman with your off-cutters.
“We played against a couple of state players in Brisbane. That might have been
where the story came from.”
Yes, and your brother Neville took apart a state spinner who never played for
Queensland again. You played for Nowendoc and Riamukka from the late-’40s to
the late-’60s and then Taree for one or two seasons and a season at Wentworthville
in Sydney.
“I was down there working at Goldsmith’s mill. The red-headed football coach
who still commentates was playing in the same team. Billy Wayte was playing in
the same team. He was my boss in Sydney. He got me into it. Then I came back to
Walcha and had a few seasons with Round Swamp.”
Your brother Neville could never understand that. He didn’t mind you making
a comeback, but why with the old enemy Round Swamp?
“By that time we were starting to wear helmets and I remember my brother
Don saying: ‘If you’ve got to start wearing those things you shouldn’t have made
a comeback.’
‘‘I batted in a helmet right at the end of my career.’’
The scorebooks show that you often cleaned up brother Neville lbw in RiamukkaNowendoc games, but generally in those matches very few lbws were given.
“Bill Holstein used to be the umpire and he must have favoured whatever team
I played for because I used to get Neville leg-before quite a bit. Which was a very
sore point because most of them were going down the leg side.
“I remember another game there, Nowendoc were playing Riamukka and I
was batting against Bobby Laurie and it was getting darker and darker and George
Lyon, ‘Old George’, was umpiring. Don Margery was wicketkeeping and he
actually appealed against the light because we looked like getting the runs. It’s
not often a fielding side appeals against the light. George was one of our men, he
was umpiring, and he said ‘we only want another 10, we’ll have another over’. So
we got the runs.
“Anyway we walked out and Dad was sitting at the fence of course and he said
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to Tommy Wayte ‘well that’d be the greatest game of cricket I’ve ever watched’
and it’s unrepeatable what Tommy said.
“And in another of those Nowendoc-Riamukka games I was bowling to my
brother Barry. About the third ball I bowled to him went straight through the
wickets. It didn’t dislodge the bail, he was still on a duck, and 120 runs later he
was still there. He gave us a terrible hiding then.”
Did you favour bowling to left-handers or right-handers?
“Right-handers. I didn’t go much on the left-handers, only Neville, ’cause I
always used to get him out leg before. I only had to appeal.”
Others around Walcha achieved higher honours but it’s hard to go past Max
as the ultimate cricketer. All the hallmarks, an all-rounder, longevity, character,
presence of mind, and above all dignity.
“It’s good to run into you Darrell. Thanks for letting me be a part of your
book.”
N
EVILLE Holstein was quick to answer “no” when asked if would’ve played
grade cricket in Sydney to secure a Sheffield Shield spot. You can learn a lot
about a bloke in a minute. You just have to choose the right minute. But which 60
seconds from an interview with Neville Holstein? The very adamant “no” to the
career pursuit question? Or maybe the joking about British decorum while on a
cricket tour in another country of the British Empire, Canada. Irony is an overused word, too often confused with coincidence. But this is irony. For someone
so at ease touring the world and who turned in so many virtuoso performances
offshore (New Zealand, New York, Canada, Malaya among others) many miles
from Australia, let alone Nowendoc, what’s the big deal about travelling to Sydney
to play? It’s hard to reconcile because he had no trouble travelling and touring,
either domestically or internationally. He was a natural in every sense of the word,
the world was his stage, but in a sense Sydney wasn’t big enough. His British tea
quip in Canada confirms how relaxed he was, as if we needed any confirmation,
the sheer weight of runs and more importantly the way in which he scored them,
suggests a man very much at ease.
Was there a weight of expectation when you batted?
“In district games it was certainly the case that I was expected to perform. The
weight of expectation wasn’t a burden. It helped me on to higher representation. It
made me put my head down and concentrate.”
It’s been said you could annihilate an attack.
“I was always a very aggressive batsman. I opened for Country, but I shouldn’t
have. I was always a better no.3 and no.4. But they put me in as opener. Must have
been 1961 I think.
“I’d been to New Zealand and Singapore and Malaya on Emu tours before
that. There were a lot of Pommies, Indians, West Indians. Malaya was ’59, New
Zealand was ’57. I played against Graham Dowling who went on to captain New
Zealand. Will Haskell was another bloke who played for New Zealand. They were
the only two from that tour that I played against that went on to play for their
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country.”
Any preference over facing spin or pace?
“It didn’t really worry me what I faced. I used to go to the air a bit when
batting.”
You were chaired off the field in New Zealand.
“I remember that. Just one of those lucky days. We had some good cricket in
New Zealand.”
It was described at the time as “the best innings seen on the Invercargill
ground”.
“They must not have seen many.”
When did it all start?
“I probably came into cricket about 1952. We had our own practice wicket at
the house, Bridle Vale, and we used to practise nearly every afternoon. We had
a good coach in Merv Price. He married one of the girls from my father’s first
family. He was one of the best spinners around this area. A leg-spinner. He used to
do a bit of work for dad. Dad was only an average sportsman, but he was always
terrible keen. He clocked up a lot of miles cartin’ the kids around between cricket
and tennis.
“I played for Riamukka in the early years and in the later years I started
playing with Nowendoc.
“I think I was 14 when I started, and went into the inter-district side at 16
batting no.3 I think, no.3 or no.4. Herbie was there, Peter Fenwicke, Roy Chandler,
Alick Bird, Bobby Laurie was a bit later. Freddy Roper was about finished at that
stage. Percy Golledge was about finished. Jimmy Fletcher, Andy Fletcher was still
playing. It was a strong side to come in to.
“We played our first War Veterans’ Cup at Gunnedah. We didn’t win that one.
We got beat.”
There was a stage where Walcha was regarded as just about the strongest team
in NSW country cricket.
“The best players were Peter Fenwicke and Lance Kermode. Fenwicke bowled
orthodox left-arm. He was a good skipper. Good cricketer. He still played one of
the best knocks I’ve ever seen. On The Park wicket in a district game, we were
6 for about 20-odd. Peter went in and he got 83. Beautiful knock. It was against
Inverell I think. One of the best digs I’d seen.”
Roy Chandler batted at first drop in inter-district.
“Bloody oath and Peter Fenwicke coming in at seven or eight, he’s a pretty
handy man there. Max Starr was an opening bowler. Ronnie Green was fairly
slippery. Owen Sweeney was a good cricketer.”
Best players in his own teams?
“Max (Holstein), Reynold Mullen, who went on to play for Armidale for
a couple of years. Bobby Laurie and the Margery boys who used to play for
Nowendoc were pretty handy.”
Would you have expected to be touring the world so early on?
“I didn’t really expect to go that far. Not so quick. If I’d have got runs in
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Sydney, well, I might have gone a fair way. But I couldn’t seem to score runs down
there. I played for Country three times, Country Firsts once and Country Seconds
twice. First time I opened, with Country Firsts, next time I batted at no.5. But I
still couldn’t get any runs.”
Why?
“I just wanted to get home again. I hated Sydney. There was no way I was
going to go down there and play grade cricket. Had I scored runs for Country I
would have probably got an offer. Walters went down there, even Rick McCosker.
When he was at Inverell he was no better than us. He went to Sydney and he never
looked back. In those days you had to do it.”
In those days there were a lot of opportunities for bush cricketers.
“You were going to get recognised. [State selector Jack] Chegwyn was always
about checkin’ things out.
Wheaton’s, too
“Oh yeah. I toured with Wheaton’s when I was 17 I think. I had a lot of tours
with them.
Were you on the road playing cricket all the time?
“A bit of the time. I used to do a bit of work now and then. When I wasn’t
playing cricket I was playing tennis.”
You came up against some good players in inter-district.
“Walter Taylor was one of ’em, and Bob Cameron from Inverell, Rick
McCosker, Johnnie Gleeson, Johnny Muller. I was surprised when Gleeson ended
up in the Test side because when he toured with us (Emus on world tour) he was
a wicketkeeper-batsman. He didn’t bowl at all. That’s where he learnt to bowl
actually. Well he had fingers about that bloody long. He used to bend that middle
finger in and flick ’em out. We took him apart in one trial game, down at Quirindi.
A couple of years after that he was playing for Australia. He was never a great
spinner of the ball, but he was accurate. The Poms just played him with their pads,
didn’t worry about using the bat. He was unorthodox.”
Kerry O’Keeffe calls him Cho, Cricket Hours Only.
“We had him at Walcha one year as a guest speaker, just after he finished his
Test career actually.”
Riamukka and Nowendoc produced a lot of good players in your time.
“At one stage we had nine players from Nowendoc in the district side, Herb,
Bobby, Max and myself, Barry, Don Margery, Cedric Wright, I know there was
nine. I don’t know why it was, because we never used to practise much. Billy
Wayte did play a bit of district. He was a wicketkeeper, a fair bit younger than
Don Margery.
Best memories.
“My best memories are the Singapore-Malaya trip. Good cricket, good
grounds, good people. That was probably the best tour I had, better than the world
tour. The world tour was with the Emus, which used to be under-21. When they had
the carnivals at Tamworth it was under-21. I went on three tours with the Emus, I
must have been about 17 or 18 when I went on the first one. Johnny Hayward was
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our skipper from Maitland, good cricketer, Dave Rutherford, Pat Cummins from
Barraba, Johnny Muller from Tamworth. Occasionally I’d come across ’em when
we played Tamworth or at Gunnedah. To get picked for Country there’d be trial
games between the zones. Northern Tableland would play the Coast, there were
four or five different divisions, and NSW would send as selector. I got a few runs
in those trial games. We used to play about four trial games a year.
“I never did a lot of bowling. Started off bowling leg-spinners, that was too
hard a work, then Barry took over. Then I bowled medium-pace then I finished
up bowling off-spinners. Roy Chandler was the most accurate leg-spinner I think
I’ve seen. It was a perfect balanced side, Peter Fenwicke bowling left-arm, Roy
bowling right-arm leg-spinners, Max was first change. We had a pretty good
attack. We had the attack to get us out of trouble.
“The War Veterans’ Cup games were low-scoring and they were on pretty
good wickets. I never played on turf until I went to Tamworth and played for the
Emus. I’d never seen a turf wicket before that. There were no turfs at Walcha
or Guyra. It was all coir mats. Turf just seemed so much easier. The ball wasn’t
coming through bloody chest-high all the time. It made batting easy. So the first
time I played at Tamworth I think I got an 85, a quacker and 130. That was for
Northern Tablelands. Turf . . . it’s a simple game.”
You’ve talked about turf, what about coir mats?
“I used to like them in the early days because I knew nothing else.”
Nowendoc seemed torn between Walcha and Gloucester.
“There were better wickets and better grounds in Gloucester. We weren’t
playing on bloody cow paddocks like we were in Walcha. Grounds like Round
Swamp Ingleba, Walcha Road, Nowendoc, Riamukka, Yarrowitch, Woolbrook,
Watsons Creek, out past Walcha Road, I think you went through Bendemeer to get
there. Blokes like Vern Henry were playing in the Peel comp. I think it was only
a second-grade comp.
“A few of us went down to Gloucester first, about three of us, mainly for the
turf wickets. Rob Laurie was one of them, George Lyon was another and myself.
We played a couple of years and then we took a team down. In those days we
used to play in both comps, Gloucester on Saturday and Walcha on Sunday. We
played district for Walcha. I don’t think they had district cricket in Gloucester at
that stage.
Herb Laurie tells a great story about playing inter-district for Gloucester and
ruining Wyong’s chances of entry to the Sydney comp.
“Herbie, me, Rob, George and Don Margery played. Sydney said we can’t put
them in, they were beaten by a little place called Gloucester. That wrecked all that.
They’d have never heard of Nowendoc where half the team came from.”
Were you on the Wheaton’s tour to Tasmania when Col Wall was manager?
“I’m not too sure what happened there. I’m not too sure he wanted to get us
back. There was Lance Kermode and myself and somebody else was supposed to
fly back. I don’t think it would have been Billy Wayte.”
Wheaton’s as opposed to Emus?
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“Wheaton’s was pretty serious. I wouldn’t say it was better than the Emus, but
it was still good cricket. I think we were the first to play in Queensland Country
Week. We had a lot of tours with Wheaton’s. We toured Tasmania, Queensland,
South Australia, two or three tours around the coast, toured out west. We took two
teams out there I think.”
The expectations must have been high.
“Oh yeah, the reputation preceded us. Cliffy Wheaton used to go around and
organise everything. It was always well organised. I was only one of the players.
We had Sammy Trimble with us at one stage. He had a couple of tours with us.
Warren Noble. Sam batted first drop and I batted three and four.”
Good bowlers around Walcha?
“Blokes like Percy Golledge were a bit of a worry. He wasn’t all that fast. He
was district captain for a while then Andy Fletcher took over. Jimmy Fletcher, he
was pretty handy bowler. Laurie Little may have played for Country before the
War. Apparently he was a good bat. There were some good cricketers around in
those days. Gordon Jamieson played the game terrible hard. He was a hard man.
Jimmy Laurie was pretty handy. He was a worry on concrete and coir. He was
quick enough to bruise you. Ronnie Green was handy.”
Walcha had a youth policy.
“Barry was only young when he started. Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall was one
of the good young cricketers coming through in my time. Robbie (Laurie) was
always stodgy. He had plenty of determination. I remember Rob Blomfield . . . he
used to get runs. Of course he was a left-hander.”
Rob Blomfield said you were at another level up, because of your timing when
you batted and your slips fielding.
“I always used to field in slips. I used to drop a few too.
“Ross Taylor was another good quick. He played against us when we played
for Country actually. He was the bloke that got me out for a quacker. He’d just
moved to Sydney to play grade cricket. We’d played together in the Emus. I played
against him for Country.”
Did you have a beer with him after the game?
“No I did not. Not because he was from Tamworth, because he got me out.
McCosker, Walters was just after me, they went to Sydney. Timmy Grosser, from
Gunnedah, who played a bit of state.
“I can remember when there used to be two zones in the Walcha comp, east
and west. Nowendoc, Riamukka, Round Swamp, Ingleba and Yarrowitch in the
east, Ronnie Moffitt and co, the Moore fellas. Round Swamp was always the
toughest, all the Hoys, Alick Bird. I think Ray Hoy used to be the skipper, or Doug
Schrader, who got a lot of runs. He was a good bat. Round Swamp were always
tough. Always about four of five of the Hoys, Roy Chandler, Peter Osmond. I think
they had 11 Hoys in the side at one stage, and they all played it pretty hard. Walcha
Road used to play it pretty hard. The Boyds and Golledges, Henrys.”
If you had your time over again?
“Probably wouldn’t be that much different. I don’t think I’d have gone to
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Sydney no matter what happened. That wasn’t for me.”
Runs in Sydney might have meant a Shield game.
“I would not have gone. I’d have stayed in the scrub. You can pick me for NSW
from Nowendoc would have been about it.
“Lance was a good bloke and a good cricketer. A good scout. I batted with
him quite a lot. He wasn’t a real aggressive batsman, but he was solid. He was
good enough to play for Country. He went on quite a few Wheaton’s tours. He was
getting a lot of runs for Walcha. I was a bit surprised when I got my first call up for
Country. The old man reckoned Max should have been picked first.”
What do you reckon about that?
“No. He was pretty handy. An all-rounder, a good bat as well. He got a lot of
centuries. He’s about four years older.”
There was an issue once between you and Max over the batting average and
I think it came down to one of you being classed as “out” because you’d retired
rather than “not out”.
“Mum would have been the scorer, for district as well. That did happen at one
stage. Mum was always the scorer, district games, club games, very neat with the
different coloured pens.”
You lost your younger brother, Barry.
“It was devastating. He’d just won us a district game. He got runs and got
wickets, he was running late for a party and never made it. He might have gone on
to play for Country. He was a good leg-spinner. He was only 23 when he was killed
and leg-spinners usually don’t come good until they’re 28 or 29.
“Leg-spinners don’t get a lot of opportunities now with the one-dayers. Ponting
just doesn’t seem to bowl ’em. He doesn’t bowl Katich. It doesn’t matter if a leftarm wrist-spinner bowls a bit of rubbish. That Katich, he could bowl anything,
chinamen. It’s hard to understand. It’s always been our way to have a good legspinner.
“I watch a lot of cricket, but not much Twenty-20. I watch the Test matches
and the 50-over one-dayers. I used to go occasionally to watch the Tests live.
Neil Harvey was one I remember, Graeme Pollock was another bloke I saw get a
hundred, most of that good West Indian side when they were out here. That was
1961. Sobers was unreal wasn’t he? It’s an education to go and watch the Test
players.”
You played on the SCG.
“Only the once. My other games for Country were on the SCG No.2, the
Sportsground. They made me open at the SCG and I had a job to find my way
back. I didn’t know which way to head. I’ll never forget Lance Kermode, he had
the same trouble. He had a job finding which stand he was supposed to go to. That
was a few years after me. He got a few runs in that game, 40-odd I think opening
for Country. He batted well.”
Like you, he batted well for Wheaton’s in Brisbane and the Queensland
selectors liked the look of him.
“He got a quacker the next day, dropped twice getting it and might have
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dropped a couple of catches too. He still got an offer to go up there if he wanted to.
He was always such a happy-go lucky bugger. He just enjoyed life.”
O
wen Sweeney could easily be dubbed “the gentleman cricketer”. In interviews
for this book he was the only one to use the term “sportsmanship”. That’s
not to say that everyone else who has contributed, or indeed Walcha cricketers
generally, are unsportsmanlike. Quite the opposite in fact, but Sween’s sense of
fair play becomes obvious the longer you speak with him.
You’re one of the most famous cricketers to come out of the region. Apart from
your actual batting ability you were always considered a good batsman to play
with in terms of partnerships and the team’s requirements. Herb Laurie was keen
to make this point.
“Well I reckon Herb was the best I opened with, and I opened with him many
times, for Walcha and Northern Tablelands. He was a tremendous old cricketer
and a great team man and just loved the game. He was a very good student of the
game but definitely the best opening bat I ever opened with. And I opened with
quite a few including Walter Taylor from Armidale.”
Walter Taylor’s name comes up regularly. He provided Herbie with his first
decent game of cricket at War’s end and he played a lot of cricket against and with
Walcha blokes in Northern Tablelands sides.
“He was a very good bat. Quite a bit older than me. Walter played for both
Uralla and Armidale … when Uralla didn’t have a side in the comp. He played
district cricket for Armidale.”
He was captain of the Northern Tablelands side that defeated Tasmania.
“I was in the side that beat Tasmania and that beat Tasmanian Colts here as
well. A bloke by the name of Brakey. He was the one who went through the Poms
over in New Zealand and they called him a chucker. I think it was sour grapes. I
couldn’t see anything wrong with his action but he was the fastest bowler I ever
faced. He cleaned Cowdrey up and I think Cowdrey got the poops.”
And I think the England team planted the seed among journalists.
“It was a shame because he was only a young fella. Still only a Colt because it
was not long after we played them in Armidale that he played against the Poms in
Tasmania. He was a bloody good bowler.”
[Editor’s note. This differs from Herb Laurie’s account, but a check of the
records and reporting at the time confirm Brakey cleaned up Ted Dexter and
Dexter initiated the “chucking” allegations.]
“I think I opened with Walter Taylor that day (against Tasmania). I can’t
remember, but I think I got a few runs. Brakey cleaned bowled Walter Taylor I
remember. Walter used to have a big backswing. This bloke was too fast for him.
But Walter was no spring chicken then. He took strike and he was a lot faster than
anyone expected and he cleaned Walter up. I don’t know how many runs I got that
day.”
It must have been an experience playing against the top sides. Tasmania went
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into the Sheffield Shield not long after that and NSW played at Inverell on way the
way to Queensland.
“It was a very good standard in district cricket. Inverell used to have a very
good side with Bob Cameron and Reg Finney. Bloody big Reg Finney, I’ll never
forget the first time I played him. He was a big man. A big barrel-chested fellow
and Lance Kermode and I, it was the first time we’d ever seen him and he came
out … just sort of an old floppy looking fellow, big man, and I said to Lance ‘The
old bloke won’t last long’. Well 110 runs later he was still there. He was a beautiful
bat and a great old fella. He drank us all under the table at Inverell once. He used
to drink pints. He drank the whole team under the table. By god he made a mess
of us. You’d think he was a wheat lumper, but you know what his occupation was?
He was a piano tuner. He was a beaut old fella.”
“Camaraderie with opposition teams was a big part of playing, and a lot of
Walcha blokes were in the Tablelands side as well. We were good mates.“
You had a really good reputation from scoring a lot of runs as a schoolboy in
Armidale. You were well known in New England before you came back to Walcha.
“Actually De La Salle College First XI played in the Armidale competition. I
made the first XI for my last two years at school.”
Secondary school only went to fifth form in those days. The sixth year was
added under the Wyndham scheme 1967?
“So I did play against a lot of the Armidale players. I was 17 when I left school
and 15 and 16 when I was playing cricket in the Armidale comp and captain in
fifth year (last year at school). So I guess I was well-known around Armidale, but
we used to play teams from Guyra, now and again they used to bring down a side.
All the Mulligans around Guyra and some of them went to De La Salle. They
actually brought down a team once made up of all Mulligans. Kevin Mulligan
ended up representing NSW Country. I played against him. And he became a
Northern Tablelands selector. Little short fella, Kevin.
“I used to live at Glen Morrison, but my people moved to Tamworth while
I was at De La Salle. So I went to Tamworth and worked as a builder’s labourer
for six months. It was in the winter months mainly, but I think I had a couple of
games with Moore Creek, that’s where my brother played. I worked as a builder’s
labourer on that motel there on the left-hand side just past the Powerhouse as you
go into Tamworth.
“I have a record of getting rid of a barrow load of cement the fastest ever seen.
It was time to go home, misty rain, and I was going across this plank, across the
footings where the pipes came up and the bloody barrow went one way and I went
the other. The boss said ‘you’re going to knock off on time, you’ve made sure of
that’.
“And then I got the job with Ken Byfield, I was filling in time because at that
stage they were getting these offices done (Patterson Byfield Morrow office). I
came here in June 1957, I started with Ken, and I’ve been here ever since.
“When I was a kid I used to fill in at cricket with Glen Morrison, but when I
came here after school I played with Commercial. The Commercial team folded
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up for a couple of years and I played for Ingleba. Then I came back much later
when Mike Toshack was here and played for Rugby Union (late-1970s). Steph
(son Stephen) was playing with Rugby Union when I came back. That was good.”
Stephen and Jamie have both had terrific careers, and now your grandsons
Cameron and Mitchell are playing good cricket.
“Mitchell’s too busy chasing girls. I wasn’t expecting a fast bowler. Strangely
enough both Mitchell and Cameron are pretty quick bowlers.”
Commercial were an important part of the cricket scene in Walcha.
“Jack Davis was a Colts man to start with, but he did come over to Commercial.
We had a good side. We played several times in the grand final and never won it. I
did win premierships, with Ingleba a couple of times. Bob Wall was Denis’s father,
known as Screw Bob. Red Bob was another Bob Wall. Col Wall would be a distant
cousin of the Bob Walls. Aiden Wall is another cousin. And Aiden’s a cousin of
mine. My mother was a Wall. Bloody connections around here. Aubrey Brazel
and Sam Brazel’s sister Phyllis is Lance Kermode’s mother.
“Red Bob had the sawmill at Niangala years ago. He’s a brother of Clive Wall
from Gleneagle. Bob could’ve cleaned up Riamukka or Nowendoc once. He was
a bit of a fast bowler, (Red) Bob, was before my time though. I would have been a
kid at Glen Morrison when he was playing. Old Red Bob would be 92 or 93 now.”
You came from Tamworth into a strong team at Commercial.
“It was a good side. Robin [Croker] played with us. We used to have a policy
of always having two juniors. Robin and Milton Battaglini were our two we had
for a while. There was Col Wall and myself. Gordon Jamieson played with us
too at one stage and Gordon Brooks, when they didn’t play with Ingleba. Gordon
Macdonald from the old CBC. Harry McInerney. Gordon Macdonald was in the
bank. He was a good bowler. Harry McInerney was from the Rural Bank. He was
here for bloody 12 months before we even knew he played cricket. He said to me
one day: ‘How you going for cricketers, Sween? I might have a run if you’re short
some time.’ I said ‘You’re welcome any time. Come and have a game.’ And gee he
was a good cricketer. He was a bloody good all-rounder and ended up playing for
the Walcha district side. He was here for 12 months and we didn’t even know he
played. He was a good bloke, Harry.”
Tony Hoy, Stan Hoy’s son, had a good career with Round Swamp then
transferred in the bank to Glen Innes and played district cricket and came to
Walcha and actually beat Walcha on The Park. I think he went to the J.S. White
Colts Carnival with the Tablelands side in which you and Lance played. So Walcha
in effect, had three players in the Northern Tablelands Colts side in the early-’60s.
“There you go. I made the Emus side one year, and Lance made it the next year.
The year I made it we were both playing in the same team from the Tablelands and
Lance made it the following year.
“There’s quite few Emu Colts from here. Rob Blomfield was one, Stevie
Goodwin, Neville Holstein, Peter Fenwicke and Lance Kermode. A lot made the
Tablelands side for the Emu trials.”
In the late-’50s there was an Old Emus-Emus match in Tamworth and Peter
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Fenwicke captained the Old Emus and Neville Holstein was in the-then Emus.
Peter dismissed Neville.
“Be buggered. He was a great cricketer, Neville. I remember the team that
won the War Veterans’ Cup with all those players. Gee it was a good side.”
Walcha could claim to be the strongest in the state at that time. It was
undefeated in Northern Tablelands for three years, won the War Veterans’ Cup
and had many Wheaton’s tourists. It probably could’ve competed in first grade in
Sydney.
“No doubt about that. When we won the War Veterans’ Cup we beat Tamworth.
Herb and I were the openers I know. We batted right down to number nine.”
All the good cricketers were all-rounders.
“Yeah, a lot of them were.”
You bowled leg-spin … good enough to break things up in a district game.
“I bowled leg-spin, but we had Peter Fenwicke and Roy Chandler for starters.
They were two spin bowlers who could both bat. Yes, Roy was a one-in-ageneration leg-spinner. His control was that good. My bloody oath, and Peter
Fenwicke complemented him of course with his left-arm orthodox. But he was
a right-hand bat, and a very good bat too. Good cricketer Peter. Then you had
Sammy Stevens was one of the opening bowlers, Bobby Laurie, Jack Haynes and
Max Holstein, who was an all-rounder again. A top all-rounder.”
It’s amazing when you look at scorebooks just how much flexibility there was.
Roy Chandler could bat at no.3 for Swamp and then bat at eight or nine in district.
“That’s about where he was. That’s right. He could still bat at three in district,
but if he came in at eight or nine he still batted like a batsman. Bloody oath.
I’ve seen him come in at eight or nine and get runs. And when they were rightly
needed.”
And Neville Holstein downplayed his bowling, but he took crucial wickets.
“Neville was a good bowler. He was a bit of a Dougie Walters job. He’d break
a partnership. I’ve often seen him do that. He’s a pretty modest bloke, Neville. Gee
he’s a bloody good fella. He was a beautiful cricketer. I saw him play an innings, I
think it was the best innings I’ve ever seen. It was against the Digger Colts in the
Brisbane Country Week, playing for Wheaton’s. Digger Colts were a hot side. We
could have backed ourselves off the map if we’d wanted to. They were cocky, the
bastards. They had the Parker twins who had played state Colts for Queensland.
They got 265. I got 60-odd I know, but we had a bit of a collapse and Neville came
in and he nursed the strike beautifully.
“It was on Ken Mackay’s home ground and he got 133 I think, 120-odd anyway
and only with about three tailend batsmen to nurse along. And he was hitting sixes
over cover, over this bloody big tin fence that I remember used to be around the
ground. If the Digger Colts weren’t climbing over the fence they were climbing
back in. Gee it was a beautiful innings. Ken Mackay saw it. He was there. He said
it’s one of the best innings he’d seen. Best knock I’ve seen Neville play.”
You’re famous for driving the ball on the up.
“I liked to get on the front foot, yeah.”
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So if you were batting with Herb Laurie and he wanted to rotate the strike
or pick up the scoring rate you’d knock the bowlers off a length. It was proper
partnership batting.
“It was very complementary because Herb was more a back-footed batsman.
And I was front-footed more or less, although I used to like to square-cut too.
Herb wasn’t a great driver of the ball, but he was a beautiful deflector of the ball.
He could cut and glance and deflect off his pads and that sort of thing. It was
complementary when we batted in partnership. It would upset the bowler a little
bit, one doing one thing and one doing the other. And he was a left-hander and I
was a right-hander.”
Walcha cricket was that good and the knowledge level was such that batsman
were batting in partnerships, which is something you associate with a much higher
level of cricket.
“It didn’t matter what club you played for, when you played for Walcha in
district cricket you were team-mates. And they were wonderful times and
wonderful cricket. The district side was very harmonious. We were having too
much fun.”
The strength of captaincy was awesome post-War with Percy Golledge, Peter
Fenwicke, Andy Fletcher, Herbie Laurie and Neville Holstein. That’s a pretty
handy brains trust.
“Bloody oath. I didn’t know Golledge as a captain. He was before my time,
but I’ve heard he was a very good cricketer. I’ve heard from those that played in
his time. A very good bowler. I’ve heard Col Wall talk about him. Geez Col was
a good old cricketer. He was an all-rounder. An opening bat and a medium-paced
bowler. He lived up in Croudace Street alongside where Percy Roper used to live.
Clive Roper was a very good cricketer apparently. Freddy made a comeback when
I was playing. He wasn’t playing when I started, but he made a comeback and he
went all right too.
“Old Jimmy Boyd. He used to swing the ball, but he’d swing it right from the
hand. It was a banana, but telegraphed. He’d say ‘Give me the ball. I’ll make the
bastard wobble.’
“I always tried to read the ball from the hand when batting. Especially spin
bowling.”
Were there any other good spinners. Stephen Goodwin has the theory that
Walcha struggled in his era because they weren’t used to playing quality spin
bowling.
“No, Roy was the best the Tablelands had seen in my time. We cut our teeth
on good spin bowling in Walcha club cricket. I played with Stan Gilchrist, Adam’s
father. He played for Inverell. He made the Northern Tablelands side at the Emu
trials and he made the Emus too. He was a leg-spin bowler and a bloody good
leg-spinner too. And quite a handy bat. I was only ever picked as a batsman
for Tablelands. I always opened. When I was playing at school in Armidale
all the wickets were concrete and coir. I think there was one turf wicket, at the
Sportsground, the dog track. A lot of grounds over in the racecourse were all
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glazed concrete. Sometimes they used to have Kippax matting on them. That’s
the old canvas.
“I remember playing against Norm Buckley there at De La Salle. He was a big
bastard, Norm. I didn’t even have to duck. His bouncers went straight over the top
of my head.”
You were a front-foot player, so how did you find playing on the coir, because
they do bounce and good bowlers can do a lot on them?
“I probably like to play on the front foot more on turf then I did on the mats. I
was able to adjust. I played a lot of back-foot cricket on the coir. A good turf never
seemed to worry me very much, but a bad turf can be the worst wicket in the world
to bat on. A turf that’s got two heights or a turf that’s been wet and just drying
out with a crust on top of it. That can be nasty. A good turf is beautiful to bat on.”
That’s what Neville Holstein found.
“He’d adapt. He was good bat, Neville. I suppose I scored my fair share of runs
away from here on turf. Lance Kermode was a beautiful batsman on turf. He was
very much a front-footed batsman. He was a very good bat, Lance. It shattered us
all when he died.”
So you go between well-prepared turf at rep level to something like the ground
at Round Swamp.
“I remember playing out there at Round Swamp. There was never such a thing
as mowing a ground then. You’d lose a bloody ball on the ground. You couldn’t
find it in the grass. That sort of thing. I remember playing at Walcha Road once and
I think Archie Natty playing for Walcha Road hit somebody for six. Commercial
playing Walcha Road at Walcha Road and down in that old gully going up the
Wollun Road there. I forget who was foxing the ball, but we were waiting for a
while for the ball to come back and we thought he mustn’t be able to find the thing.
So I went and had a look over the bank and there he is standing there with his
hands on his hips and I said: ‘What are you doing? Bring the ball back.’ And he
said: ‘You come and get it.’ And I said: ‘Why?’ He said: ‘There’s a bloody brown
snake curled around it.’
“I remember playing down at Riamukka one day when Barney McHattan
made a bit of a comeback. He was a good old bowler Barney. Old left-arm spinner.
We only had eight or nine men. They got about 300 and bloody 50. Jockey Byrne
was with us, filling in. This was late ’50s early ’60s and they were hitting us
that far Jockey was jack of going and getting the ball and he couldn’t throw it
back to the boundary, that’s how far they were hitting them out of the ground.
Max and Neville and those fellas. We only had about nine men and half of them
didn’t normally play. Jockey said: ‘Bugger this,’ as he threw the last one back. ‘I’m
staying out here.’ And that’s where he stayed, about 40 or 50 yards beyond the
boundary. And Barney had to bowl. I bowled him about 12 overs unchanged that
day and he’s sitting down having lunch and he said: ‘For Christ’s sake Sween, if
any bugger’s stiffer than me they’ll be in the morgue.’
“This is not a cricket story I know but I never forget the time I went fishing with
that Barney. He was a really funny original wit, you know. Nothing made up about
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him. And we went out to St Leonards Creek and we had a bet before we went on
the first, the most and the biggest. I’d been telling Barney before we went about a
big fish I’d lost out there a week before. Broke me off. Anyway I’m fishing along
and Barney’s about 40 or 50 yards up the paddock and my line became caught in a
bullrush and I went to flick it off and I went arse over head double somersault with
pike in the river. Lost me glasses. Barney heard the splash and he thought I had this
fish on me. He races down and by this stage I’d pulled myself up and was standing
in the water and he said: ‘OP,’ he said, ‘if you’re starting to dive for ’em all bets are
off.’ It was about the middle of May and I’m bloody freezing. No consideration for
me. Bloody God he was funny. He could just come out with something like that.”
Do you know much of the pre-War players? “Only what Col Wall used to tell me. He used to speak about Percy Golledge,
Bobby Case and Max Case. They are cousins of Mussa’s. Cousins of mine, too.
And the Ropers. I’ve heard him talk about the Ropers. I’ve heard him talk about
Archer Croft from Kentucky. He was a good spin bowler. Walter Taylor, but I
knew Walter. Max Taylor. He didn’t play a lot of cricket, but he was president of the
Northern Tableland Cricket Council when I was secretary. Something happened to
him. He was a good bowler but I think he got polio or something.”
Col Wall must have been an important figure in cricket in Walcha and Northern
Tablelands.
“Oh yeah. He played district cricket for Walcha and was an important figure
in administration.”
Herb Laurie reckons he missed out on captaining Country because he was
stranded in Tasmania with Col as Wheaton’s manager.
“I organised that tour. Well I did get into trouble from Alan Barnes, the
NSW secretary. I didn’t know, but if you were affiliated with the NSW Cricket
Association you were supposed to get permission to go on tour. I was told that I
hadn’t sought permission for them to play.”
And apparently a couple of them missed out on rep selection.
“Exactly. And nobody knew that this had happened. I was bloody innocent. I
didn’t go on the tour myself. But that’s right.
“I don’t know much about what happened before the War, but when we won
the War Veterans’ Cup that time at Tamworth, Col was 12th man for that team.
He nearly won the bowling average that year. I was a selector along with Neville
Holstein and Peter Fenwicke. We went with Sammy Stephens because we wanted
a bit of pace and Sam was a good bowler.”
Speaking of Sammy Stephens, can you remember him being sick in Peter
Fenwicke’s new ute?
“That was the long weekend in January. We used to play Inverell on the
Sunday and Glen Innes on the Monday. We used to stay at Inverell and then go
over to Glen Innes the next day.”
Apparently on the weekend in question Walcha had a good win and everyone
celebrated pretty well. Sammy brought a fair bit of the good cheer back up and
Peter Fenwicke made him walk.
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“Yeah, that’s right. Peter had that ute. It was a wonder they didn’t knacker
Sammy. Some bloke pulled into the service station and said there’s a lunatic up the
road a bit dressed all in white. Alick Bird and me and Aiden Wall were there. I’ll
never forget that. We were coming home and I got my face slapped in the Mung
Hing Restaurant. Bloody Sammy. We were sitting down having some Chinese in
Armidale and the waitress took our orders. Sammy was sitting beside me and she
must have leaned over to pick the menus up and bloody Sammy reached around
and tickled her leg on my side. And wham, I got a whack up the bloody head
and I’m thinking what’s going on? He was a character. A good bloke. He had
Cobrabald River.”
The Walcha district side was undefeated for three years, but were dudded by
Armidale one year after the last game of season. So you could’ve played for at least
one more War Veteran’s Cup.
“I can remember something about the shemozzle with the points. Bloody
Armidale. I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could kick ’em. Never had any time for
the bloody bastards.”
It would’ve been interesting if you’d won three War Veterans’ Cups on top of
the three Northern Tablelands titles.
“Yeah. And we were playing against well-credentialled cricketers to win those
titles. Oh by God yes. When we played against Tamworth in the first one they had
blokes like Johnny Muller who was a good cricketer. Also Pat Cummins, an Emu.”
You put a lot of effort back into administration and junior coaching.
“A lot of blokes did. Commercial had a juniors policy. Denis Wall was part of
that and ended up 12th man in the last War Veterans’ Cup team. When I came
back here I was only 17 so I would’ve played for Walcha at age 17 or 18. But it was
good to see young fellows that age being selected. Stevie Goodwin would’ve only
been young.”
Stephen was probably 14 , but his young bloke Nathan was only 13.
“Barry Holstein was an enormous talent, only 23 I think when he was killed,
but he probably had an eight-year career. From about age 15 on. Barry was a funny
cricketer. Don’t think he would have been the cricketer of Max or Neville. He was
quite a handy spin bowler and quite a handy bat, but I don’t see that he ever would
have been as good as Neville or Max in my opinion. I would prefer to have him in
my team than not in my team. Neville and Max aren’t too bad to be compared to.
But he was still maturing and was a very happy-go-lucky bloke. If he played well
he played well, if he didn’t so be it. He was very casual about the game.
“Probably Neville is right about Barry’s development, because leg-spinners, it
does take them a while to mature, particularly in relation to accuracy. Roy played
for many, many years. Roy was no chicken when I was playing against him. He
still had the control. Oh yeah. He could drop one on a length pretty well straight
away.”
Fielding was an important part of Walcha cricket, two years of district cricket
without a dropped catch. All good sides field well.
“A lot of games are won and lost in the field. I mainly fielded in the slips.
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Always with Commercial, I fielded in slips. Or leg-slip sometimes. If a spin bowler
came on I might go into the outfield. It was a good fielding side, no doubt about
that. Neville Holstein . . . the Holsteins had hands on ’em like chaff bags. But they
were good fieldsmen, Max and Neville. Lance Kermode was a brilliant fieldsman.
Mainly slips, gully area, but a good cover fieldsman as well.
“Lance would have given Sheffield Shield a shake. Neville was good enough.
I’m a bit behind them. For anybody to do any good you have to go to Sydney. I
wouldn’t have gone. I was doing law and so forth.”
This thing of not leaving the Tablelands is absolutely fascinating.
“I assume that was part of Lance’s dilemma. He was made some offers for
sure.”
And what do you make of Neville Holstein’s dad telling him the Country
selection should have gone to Max first.
“Old Tony eh? I’ve never seen a bowler field so energetically off his own
bowling as Max. He was a good fielder anywhere. I saw him bowl about 25 eightball overs in that stinking heat in Brisbane, in the humidity of Brisbane Country
Week and he was bowling just as well in the last over as he was the first. And
putting every bit of effort in he could. He was a competitor.
“And bloody oath he could hit a ball. If he got hold of it, it stayed hit. He was
bloody good cricketer.”
I didn’t realise Gordon Jamieson bowled spin is his second spells.
“Leg-spin. He used to push them through. As a leg-spinner he didn’t have
the accuracy of Roy Chandler. He was a really good opening bowler. I think he
contaminated his bowling by trying to bowl fast leg-spin. He can’t lay claim to
that leg-spin mantel.”
In any case Walcha was so strong that a lot of the players in the Second XI
would have played Firsts in any other era.
“Exactly. Alick Bird for one, played most of his rep cricket for Walcha
Seconds. No doubt about it a lot of them were good enough to represent Walcha
if the standard overall wasn’t so high. There were quite a few in that category.”
Did it play out in the club games?”
“It probably did go on. That’s a good thing because the first graders had to
perform. There was always someone knocking on the door. The selectors had to
do a job. They picked on form.”
It’s a pity to see the standard is not quite what it used to be right across the board.
In Walcha, that’s just to do with numbers, but what about at the national level?
“Max Holstein never would have bowled a wide. It makes the mind boggle.
What’s going on? The game has been made too easy for batsmen. Competition
has been taken out of it. I watch as much as I can. I’m not a Twenty-20 fan. I
reckon it’s a bugger of a game and ruins young cricketers. It’s only a bash game.
It’s hard enough for cricketers to adapt between one-dayers and Test cricket, let
alone Twenty-20.”
You embody the element of sportsmanship. Everyone else I speak with tells
me how hard cricket was around here, but you want to talk about calling a player
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back, David Lawrie from Guyra in an inter-district game when Andy Fletcher told
you to keep appealing.
“I remember playing against Jeff Makeham and Gordon Macdonald was
bowling I think and we called Jeff back. Don McFarland was umpiring and Jeff
played the ball with a full face of the bat. It couldn’t have hit his pad and Don
McFarland gave him out lbw. I called him back and he got a hundred against us.”
“I think young fellas these days are not sort of dedicated enough.”
Peter “Duke” Boyd
P
eter Boyd, affectionately known as Duke, started playing senior cricket at age
12 in 1960, and he’s just completed his 52nd season. He’s probably scored
upwards of 10,000 runs and taken more than 500 wickets. I never knew how
to spell his nickname, Duke, as in Walcha Road royalty, as opposed to Dook,
someone not afraid of fisticuffs.
“I don’t know. Alec Boyd my uncle was called Duke at one stage and someone
just started calling me Duke.
“My father was Jim Boyd and his brother was Alec Boyd. Alec is the father of
Ray (Kanga), Phillip (Hey bud) and Wayne (Pothole).”
You started playing at age 12 in the Peel Valley comp. Gordon Jamieson told
me when Ingleba folded seven of them went to Weabonga and played in the Peel
Valley Comp and Archie Natty remembers playing in the Peel Valley comp too.
Gordon Jamieson said it was good cricket.
“Yeah, the Peel Valley Comp was good cricket. We never played against
Weabonga, or I didn’t. The sides we played against closest to Weabonga was
Limbri. We played against Limbri, Kootingal, Bendemeer, Moonbi. Watsons
Creek had a side. Woolbrook had a side. Watsons Creek is down the back of
Bendemeer, between Bendemeer and Kingstown. Nundle were also in at one
stage. And Hanging Rock. There were 10 teams in it at one stage.”
And you were only 12.
“Actually I started to play for Woolbrook about then, but only for about 12
months and then I started to play with Walcha Road. Walcha Road played in Peel
Valley for a long time. And then Walcha Road eventually came back into the
Walcha comp.”
The scorebooks suggest you made an impact right from an early age.
“The first century I made was at Watsons Creek when I was 17. I’ve had
continuous cricket from 1960 through to now. I don’t really know how many
centuries I’ve hit. I didn’t really keep records. I think my highest score was
160-something and I don’t even know who that was against.”
What about Walcha district averages?
“I won the bowling average, but I’ve never won a batting average. I’ve won
the aggregate, but never the average. The first comp I remember Walcha Road
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winning was in ’76-’77 and we went on to win it three years running, ’77-’78 and
’78-’79. And then we had a break and we won it once more in the ’90s.”
My memory of Walcha Road is “Paddles” Chandler bowling and you and Ray
Boyd scoring a lot of runs.
“Simeon Cross played with us. Brian Wellings used to play with us. Terry
Hay the policeman came across from Rugby League and played with us. He was
a really good cricketer. Sean Kelleher, Max Hartley, the swing bowler from the
Rural Bank. He was a good all-rounder. He’s still up around Coffs Harbour. Had
a milk run up there.”
Is it fair to say cricket was a little bit stronger in the ’60s?
“Yeah, it would have been.”
And you were performing well in that strong era.
“When we came in that comp there was Nowendoc, Riamukka, Ingleba,
Commercial, Colts, Round Swamp. Close to being it. Rugby Union started,
Memorial Club had a side and Rugby League started. I ran Walcha Road for a fair
while and I just couldn’t get enough to keep playing and I went and played with
Round Swamp for two seasons I think and then I reformed Walcha Road and it
was going for a few years and then when we won the comp in the ’90s there were
blokes like Greg Buckland, Chris Laurie, Greg Stier, Greg Carter, Johnny Walker,
David Walker, Wayne and Ray Boyd and Bruce Davidson.”
What about inter-district cricket?
“I roughly would have been 18, 19, 20 when I started in the district side.
Seconds mainly, I played. Dick Macarthur-Onslow, Phillip Chandler, Denis
Chandler, Revee McCormack would have played at some stage, Billy Laurie, Jack
Davis, Bob Bowden, Rod Aynsley from Nowendoc. In those days the Second XI
did pretty well. We had a few good players in the Seconds back then. I never really
dominated in district cricket. I scored a few 50s or something like that, but I didn’t
really score a lot of runs in district.”
But you always contributed. You were always part of the game.
“I was an all-rounder sort of thing so I bowled a bit too. I was probably more
in there as a bowler than a batsman.”
The best cricketers around here have all been all-rounders.
“Yeah. I used to open the bowling in club cricket and come on first or second
change in district cricket. I opened the batting mainly for Walcha Road. Have a go
at it probably was the thinking, so I had a go at it. I didn’t mind it and I still prefer
to open. I still do when they let me.”
You like to get on with the game.
“I always liked to and still like to keep things moving. I don’t like being tied
down. If I’m tied down I’ll probably get out because I like to push the runs along.
I’m still bowling the same. Still working the seam.
“We’re playing a lot of veterans cricket, with Georgie Lyon and Robbie
Laurie. We’ve played in Tamworth and the other day we played for NSW against
Queensland. We won both games. It’s the first time Queensland vets have been
beaten since they formed a team. Georgie Lyon and I opened the bowling. You had
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to be 60 or so this year to play veterans and against Queensland City side on the
first day we had ’em 1-15 after 11 overs. I finished up getting 3-5 off eight overs
that day.”
After 50 years of playing you’re still achieving.
“We’ve got a side around Tamworth. There’s about 30 blokes playing there.
There was going to be a side from Tamworth and one from Armidale, around Port
Macquarie and Quirindi had another side and two sides were going to come up
from the Central Coast and Sydney. But the Sydney fellas dropped out and they
could only send up four or five blokes. Most of our side was made up of Tamworth
blokes and we were called NSW Blues. We played in Armidale. First day we had
a muck-around game among ourselves against the Armidale and Port Macquarie
blokes then we had a game against the City team and we beat them. We had them
out for 128 off 50 overs. You have to retire at 40, but can come back after everyone
gets out. We passed them with four down and I didn’t get a bat that day. Rob Laurie
got about 20 not out. There’s some good cricketers play. In that veterans they put
me in at six, seven or eight. On the second day we played a Queensland country
side and they scored 193 and we had ’em out in 47 overs, but two of ’em retired
and came back. And I think we were four or five down when we passed them. And
we had two or three retire.
“I’ve met quite a few good blokes since I’ve been playing in that veterans
thing. Good old cricketers from around Tamworth and that. I think I scored 40
retired that day with about 15 overs to go. Me and another bloke, Mike Cashman,
came out, and he got excited. I thought there was something wrong with him when
he came out. He’d forgotten to put his pads on. I said ‘have you got your protector
in’ and he said ‘why’ and I said ‘you’ve got no pads on’. So he stayed there and he
got 20 not out and I was 40 retired when we finished. I retired with five overs to go
and we only wanted six runs.”
Walcha Road have a fascinating history with the participation in different
comps and the legend of Percy Golledge who had a reputation as a great old
captain and cricketer.
“I don’t remember a great lot about him. He was just finishing.”
Who were the senior Walcha Road players when you came in?
“My father and my uncle. I played one bit there with Woolbrook and then I came
back and played at Walcha Road because the policeman out there Tom Wynne, he
and a couple of other blokes from around there got the team together. Mike Toshack
was a good cricketer. He played with us at Walcha Road. Fred Henry. And Vern
Henry played with us after Woolbrook folded up. Cleve Scott did too. He was a
pretty handy bowler. John Dawson played with us. Old Cecil Levingston They
were sort of the older blokes. Aub Hargreaves was playing. He’s not much older
than me. His father was the main sort of cricketer around Woolbrook. Not more
important than Percy Golledge, not more dominant, but he was a handy cricketer
around Woolbrook and that. Charlie was nearly finished when I started playing so
he was post-War. I took over from my dad as captain of Walcha Road.”
And the best players you have encountered?
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“Well, there’s been some pretty good ones actually. Blokes like Robert
Blomfield. Lance Kermode, Neville Holstein. Bobby Laurie was probably one of
the best bowlers I’ve faced, from Riamukka. Jimmy Laurie was a real good bowler.
He was a left-armer. Terry Hay was a pretty handy bowler. Mark Schuhkraft, a
left-arm bowler, a real good cricketer. A real competitive sort of bloke. Him and I
used to have some really good battles. We’d nag each other, but we’d have a good
go of it. That’s what it’s all about. No, he was a real good cricketer. He played for
Colts.”
Peter Fenwicke?
“Yeah, I played against Peter, but never a great deal against Peter. Neville
would have been the more dominant cricketer I ever played against. Neville and
Lance Kermode. Max Holstein was a big-hitter. Never run for four when you can
hit a six. He was a good cricketer. He played through till about he was 60 up here.
“Barry Holstein was an unreal cricketer too. He was only young when he was
killed. A lot of them fellas started when they were 17 and 18. George Lyon played
with all them and he’s still playing. And he’s still pretty handy as an old swing
bowler. Truck’s been playing since I’ve been playing. They went and played in
Gloucester for a few years. But then they all came back.”
You played it hard. Who else?
“It was pretty well hard against everybody. You tried your hardest. Rob
Blomfield always played it hard. Denis Wall. Denis was one of the better spin
bowlers I’ve ever played against. Roy Chandler. I don’t remember playing against
him when he was really at his top, but I remember playing against in his later years
and he was still a good old bowler then. Owen Sweeney would have played with
Roy right through his top time. I remember one day out there playing with a fair
few runs and I hit him for six and after the game he said you’re the first bloke that’s
ever hit me for six off one of them balls. I don’t know what he’d actually bowled,
but he said he’d never been hit for a six off that type of ball. Paddles Chandler was
a good bowler and a good middle-order batsman.
“One day we were all going to Guyra for district cricket and we had a threecar pile-up going down into Armidale near the motel on Moore Park hill. All
these cars were pulled up. I was lead car in the Walcha convoy and I pulled up and
Paddles was behind me and pulled up and Snow Bird, who had Normie Goodwin
in with him. Anyway the whole team was in the three cars. The other ones all
drove away and left 11 Walcha cricketers. The three cars had all piled-up. Snow
Bird had been looking at something and he rammed into Paddles and he rammed
into me. I had my car towed away and we had all sorts of trouble getting the kit out
of the boot. We finished up getting up there in two cars and the game didn’t start
until 12 o’clock. We ended up winning the game. Rod Aynsley got about seven
wickets. There were some good cricketers come out of Nowendoc. Probably had
nothing else to do but play cricket and tennis.”
It was a big family thing too.
“I remember the old ground at Walcha Road. All the ladies would come and
we’d have afternoon tea. That was Sunday cricket then. You’d play Saturday when
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there was a district game, but it was Sunday cricket then. It was better cricket
because it wasn’t limited overs. The time was split and you’d play until six o’clock.
Extra points for outright. Two-day cricket came in for while and you could settle
yourself in and play. You could bat all Saturday if you wanted to. The bonus-point
incentive scheme made for a better cricket. You were always playing for points.”
In the mid-’70s Walcha introduced a system whereby matches were played over
two weeks but there was always an incentive to pick up bonus points irrespective
of how well your team was performing. Points were awarded for a first-innings
win, every three second-innings wickets, every 50 second-innings runs and for
winning outright.
“You didn’t just pack up and go at 2 o’clock. You had proper innings.”
But Duke had played some good and big innings before then.
“The first one I really remember was the day I got my ton at Watsons Creek.
I got 102 that day. It was sort of one that stuck. And then when Walcha Road won
our first grand final. We played Round Swamp. Or I remember we played Round
Swamp in one of them. I think we beat Colts in another one down at The Park. I
remember that. Not sure who we beat in the third one.
“I got a few hat-tricks. Within the past 10 years I’ve bowled and picked up four
wickets in five balls. I got the hat-trick and the next ball my son Mick dropped a
catch. I would have had four in a row. And then I got the fourth one on the fifth
ball.”
You did a similar thing in the ’60s in a match in which your father too wickets
too.
“It was probably back against Riamukka. They came up to outright us at
Walcha Road. I think we bowled ’em out for 37 or 38. Dad took 8-17. He run one
bloke as he was coming into bowl. We run Barry Holstein out and I took the other
wicket. I was 15 or something. I think we got 90-odd. I don’t think we put them
back in for the outright.”
But wasn’t there another one where you got all the wickets? Anyway you seem
to remember the battles.
“I used to have battles against Bobby Laurie. He’d have me black and blue
from hitting me in the leg. He’d just bowl a cutter, bring it back in. But I did score
a few runs against him.”
A lot of cricketers have started while their fathers were still playing, yet the
dads didn’t seem to offer much advice and just led by example.
“It was mainly was like that. Dad never taught me a great lot about cricket. He
did a bit. Not a great lot. I never had any coaching or anything. I was self-taught.
We used to play at school. You pick it up when you go along.”
And the type of game has a bit to do with it. You can control things better in a
time game than a straight 50-overs game.
“It’s probably the same for me. Michael, my son, plays with us and we never
talk about it much. He’s handy and he enjoys his cricket and he’s been captain
of Rugby League for the past few years. We’ve won a premiership together with
Rugby League. He’s only been playing for 10 years I suppose. He played out at
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Merriwa when he was there.
“I went to school at Walcha Road and left when I was 15. I used to do
correspondence for high school. I didn’t know a lot of the Walcha blokes. Not until
after I left school and got a car. Once I got me car at 17½ I started playing rugby
league in second division, with Gordon Brooks. He was another good cricketer.
Good bowler. Big hitter. He could hit a ball. I remember we took a side to Round
Swamp and he bowled us out for about nine runs. Gordon Brooks and Alick Bird.
And they sent us back in and we made 20 or something. We only had nine players
though and a heap of young fellas. Myself and Raymond and Phillip and Jimmy
Moran. Fred Henry would’ve probably been with us, still then. Old Ted Moore.
When we went out there, we only had nine that day. Alick Bird was a good swing
bowler. It’s hard to get runs out there if they hadn’t mowed the ground. Kevin Hoy
was another real good cricketer.”
He scored a mountain of runs but didn’t seem to play a lot of district cricket.
“It was a strong era, but I think after a bit, when the strong era finished, the
district side was more or less whoever put their name down because a lot of good
players never played district cricket for certain reasons. I know Barry Hoy has
been trying to keep it going.”
That’s a nice twist in that his dad should’ve played more district cricket and
Barry’s trying to resurrect it to its former prominence. Barry’s had a good career.
He’s been a good ’keeper and a good batter.
“I think young fellas these days are not sort of dedicated enough. They’ll tell
you they’re available to play tomorrow and just don’t turn up. It’s a bit disappointing
if you’re trying to run something.”
They’re missing out on all the history of it too. And the great stories like Percy
Golledge putting ’em over Surveyors Creek and the fielder decided to stay put.
“Apparently Percy could hit a ball pretty well. I never seen it but there is a story
he put one up on the railway line. That ground at Walcha Road wasn’t real big, but
that’s still a big hit. You could spend a lot of time down in the creek because it had
a creek on two sides. And a dam on the other side. Cricket was better when every
little village had its own ground and hosted opposition sides. We probably enjoyed
it more because you’re playing against different cricketers. There was probably a
10-week turnaround before you’d play the same team again.”
Well there were certainly a lot more players.
“Now you play against the same blokes every month. Also, to beat Riamukka
at Riamukka or Ingleba at Ingleba, that’s a good win.”
So Walcha Road were never daunted by the opposition?
“We always tried our best. We never won a great deal of games early on and
we struggled for players a lot of times, but when we got a good win against one of
the fancied sides, like that one against Riamukka, it was great. They thought we’d
be easybeats and we rolled them for about 37 or whatever it was.”
You ran Walcha Road for years, with all the work that entails, and then you had
to perform on Saturday. Was the weight of expectation heavy?
“You had to organise. Do everything to get a side. It used to make you put your
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head down a bit more batting. You’d bat for time sometimes and try and hold a side
together. Make sure you were a bit competitive against the other sides. Sometimes
later on when I was coaching junior cricket I found it hard because you’d go to
Armidale and stand up there all morning and then rush back for senior cricket.
Run home and run back out to cricket and if you were captain they’d be waiting on
you to toss. If you won the toss you had to rush and tear. Probably affected cricket
a little bit. But once it settled down you could enjoy it.”
Junior cricket has traditionally been strong in Walcha.
“There was no junior cricket for me. Started at 12 and had to adjust.”
Just like Gordon Jamieson.
“Kids are better off going up through the grades. Play against kids their own
age and ability. Not having to face some real dominant bloke that’s going to set
into you. A lot ’em didn’t hold back against kids. A lot didn’t. Some did. But even
when you were playing, kids always used to come in last and you’ve got a tight
game and you try to bowl steadier to kids and you might bowl a wide or something
because you’re trying just to settle down and you’ve lost your rhythm.”
I remember a very young Doug Jamieson facing Jimmy Laurie.
“A lot of them blokes are more accurate if they keep bowling fast. Gordon
(Jamieson) was pretty competitive. I don’t think he would have slowed down. He
was a bloke that liked to win. Doug and Jagger were handy cricketers, but they
were pretty competitive too. Jagger was a bit erratic. Jagger would just sling ’em.
Douglas was a more controlled bowler.
“I remember Jim Laurie playing at Woolbrook. We were Walcha Road, but we
used to play on Woolbrook’s ground and Jimmy Laurie came in and bowled and
I shut me eyes an’ swung and geez I hit it good. It landed down the river about 50
yards down past the boundary in the river. Next ball he come back in, well he let
her go and three stumps just went everywhere. I’d closed the eyes again. Geez the
first one was good, but he shifted me the next one. ’Cause I was only a young fella
I thought, I’ve hit one for six I can hit the next one.”
The coir mats always helped bowlers get some lift, but it’s not till you develop
your batting game that you can handle it, so the bowlers have an advantage. The
good batsman played square of the wicket.
“I vaguely remember the first time I played on turf. Probably was here in
Walcha when they put it down.”
Nowendoc went to Gloucester over turf.
“At that stage Nowendoc probably got better cricket down there ’cause there
were seven or eight teams down there. I think now they’ve hardly got cricket at
Gloucester, from what Rob (Laurie) was sayin’ the other day they’ve only got
three or four sides. Some of them are sides that travel, like Stroud. Herbie come
back here and played probably until his mid-60s. He used to open and still score
most of the runs, just turning them around leg-side.”
He went on an over-45s tour to England and remembers every ball.
Did you pick bowlers out of the hand?
“A lot of blokes watch the ball out of the hand. I play it off the wicket or see
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it as it comes. I’ve never been able to pick ’em coming out of the hand. Some
blokes reckon they can see ’em. Which way a bloke’s bowling them. You get a
bloke that’s a pretty handy bowler you just grit your teeth a bit more and sorta dig
in and try and just poke him around. He’ll bowl you a loose one eventually. My
attitude was if you stayed there you could get more runs out at the wicket than in
the grandstand watchin’. If you stay, runs will come to you.”
You weren’t afraid to hit the ball hard or in the air.
“I like to hit a ball. You can usually tell if a batsman, even if he’s a good player,
he’ll come out and if he’s going to have a go at least you know you’ve got a chance
of getting him somewhere or other than a bloke who’s just going to sit there and
block you down.”
You bowled with a bit of variation, worked the ball both ways.
“Yeah. I didn’t swing the ball much. My father Jim used to swing the ball. He
was a good swing bowler. Another advantage of playing on the coir you can get
that seam working.”
There’s been some good practitioners of that, like Stephen Goodwin.
“Normie was a good bloke to battle against. Good bowler. Actually I got him
going a bit. I lived a couple of doors away and we used to practise on his tennis
court there when I first moved to Walcha.”
He would’ve struggled to get you out in club cricket if you’d been bowling
against him all week.
“He was a good bowler. Good bat. Kyle is coming on. He’s a pretty good allround sportsperson. Not too much he can’t do.”
Rob “Truck” Laurie rates Rob Blomfield and Normie.
“Rob Blomfield was a good bowler. Normie could bowl all day and that was one
end you didn’t have to worry about. In the latter years batting against some of the
young fellas I always bat in a helmet now. I got hit in the eye playing Country week
with Wheaton’s in Brisbane. It was the same year the earthquake hit Newcastle
(1989). I went up 10 or 15 years straight. I missed a couple here and there.”
And what about the district game against Armidale when you put your body in
front of a fiercely hit ball and it bobbed up on the rough Common field and hit you
in the ear? It was still ringing three weeks later.
“Coog has all the records.”
“Shit it was hot.”
Warwick Fletcher
W
arwick Fletcher must have felt like an enemy aircraft on a lot of summer
weekends in the 1960s and ’70s. It was as if a heat-seeking missile had him
in its sights. Wok prefaces most of his cricket yarns with the classic line “shit it
was hot”.
For instance.
“A district Seconds game in Inverell. Shit it was hot. We fielded. The first over
Bob Bowden slipped a ball through the opening batsman and I was ’keeping and
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took a good catch. Bob was sort of going away to leg and he got an outside edge
and I caught it and I thought I’m on a roll today. And then I couldn’t catch a cold
after that. Gordon Jamieson every other over should’ve had a stumping or a catch.
Shit it was hot.”
Gordon Jamieson in any other era, he would’ve been in Firsts and maybe
higher, but he had absolutely no regrets. He liked his cricket and that was that.
“I played a lot of games with him in the Seconds. Gordon and Peter Osmond
and Bob Bowden. I can’t remember Ronnie Green much, Mick Many, Keith
Hazell, Dick Macarthur-Onslow, he played a lot of Seconds and had a good career
with Colts. It’s a pity he’s not still alive to talk about it. He would’ve loved this.”
Did you play much coming home from TAS in the holidays?
“A little bit. I remember playing out at Round Swamp one year, going out there
when Colts were short and I tried to put Roy Chandler back over his head and he
clean-bowled me. I think I started playing in about ’64. I would have been 15 or 14.”
TAS were in the Armidale competition.
“I struggled to hold my spot down in the Firsts at school, but I played in the
Firsts for my last two years. I was probably a wicketkeeper because dad was. Dad
retired from cricket the year I got home from school. He tipped a tractor on top of
himself in ’65. (New Year’s 1965 he did it.) He kept on playing occasionally after
that, when Colts were short. Old Don Fletcher played once when we were real
short, against Round Swamp down at the school ground. That’s the only game I
remember playing with him.”
That’s a great story about Jim Fletcher and Harvey Yabsley .
“Harvey was a schoolteacher and they were the two opening bowlers for Colts
and Harvey used to tell the story of the day ‘he and Jim cleaned up Commercial
in the final’. But Harvey only took one wicket and Jim took 19-37. There was a
trophy made out of the ball and presented to Jim. They played it over two innings,
so Jimmy got a 10-for and a nine-for.”
Cricket was strong straight after the War. Warwick is a great repository of
local cricket knowledge. He made the effort to compile Lance Kermode’s five
centuries in his last season, which shows his commitment to the man’s legacy.
Speaking of which, your father left a good one.
“Jimmy was representing before the War. Here’s a photo, but it says he’s from
Gunnedah. There were a heap of Crofts, Dick Croft, Archer Croft. They reckon
Archer Croft could’ve played for Australia. Dick Croft would’ve been the umpire
in Armidale when you were playing. He was a dead-keen cricketer. I think Jimmy
[Fletcher] was unique. He was pretty quick. Alick Bird said there one day out at
Round Swamp. ‘Bloody Colts. We can never beat Colts. In years gone by they had
old Don Fletcher, the old fox as captain and Jimmy Fletcher firin’ bullets at ya and
Andy behind the sticks. You had no flamin’ chance.’ Dad and Jimmy used to play
cricket before the War, but probably more after they came home.”
There’s a scoreboard from 1901 of a Walcha team going to Tamworth, with a
Fletcher and a Blomfield.
“I’d have to see the initial. Have to be related if he was from Walcha, but I don’t
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think those old blokes played much cricket. They were keener to go to church.
There were only two Fletchers in Walcha. If it was a Fletcher from Walcha in
that 1901 team, then he was probably related. There were only two brothers came
out from Scotland and to the best of my knowledge there were no other Fletchers
around this part. There were some at Glen Innes and some at Armidale.
“Dad speaks in his War Diary about playing cricket in the Middle East desert
and Banjo Paterson’s son was with ’em and he wrote a yarn. He would’ve played
cricket before the War.
“Don was captain of Colts, then probably Peter Fenwicke and then Andy.
Fenwicke was probably one of the best cricketers Walcha ever produced. He
could’ve done anything. He must have been a brilliant sportsman. And a big man
too. And fit. And a good captain. I had a bit to do with him with the Show Society
and I found him a good bloke. He wasn’t arrogant. He knew how to get the best out
of people. Certainly I enjoyed talking to him. Peter had finished playing footy and
cricket by the time I was starting. All those Holsteins were good.”
You came back from school, into Colts and into inter-district.
“I took a while to get in the First XI. It was about three or four years before
my first game in the Firsts. I came home at the end of ’65 and got home on the
Thursday and my first game of cricket was at Ingleba for Colts on the Saturday
against Gordon Jamieson, Frank and Bob Bowden and Gordon Brooks I think.
And then the next day I played for Walcha Seconds against a Walcha Road side
or a Danglemah side [Peel Valley]. Old Jim Boyd was captain of that. It was just
a friendly I think. It wasn’t a Northern Tableland comp game. I was in the War
Veterans’ Cup-winning side of ’69-’70.
“Dick Wayte I think was captain of that Ingleba side. Dick was keen and a
good bush cricketer. He just enjoyed his cricket. Pretty shrewd old captain too.”
The records show that just about all the side were strong at different times and
had their moments.
“The first year I was out of school, ’66 or ’67, they had to play the final over two
innings until if finished. It went into the second weekend. I think it was Nowendoc
versus Round Swamp. That’s good cricket. When Jimmy Laurie first came to
Walcha we were playing Ingleba out at Ingleba on the Sunday and Dick Wayte
was captain of Ingleba. And Jimmy Laurie, as he always used to do on Sunday
morning, had a mob of lambs to crutch before cricket and he turned up late, just
on lunchtime. And sometimes Jimmy wouldn’t even turn up. We were never sure
if he was coming or not. Anyhow he turned up at lunchtime on this day and Dick
was batting and Ingleba were going fairly well and Jimmy came on after lunch and
he hit Dick in the ribs seven balls out of the eight. Next over they scored a couple
of runs against whoever was bowling and it was Dick’s turn to face again and he
looked up and said ‘‘Who’s bowlin’? Not that bastard. We declare!’’ And he did.
He declared and they nearly beat us. A thunderstorm was coming down the valley
and it got that bloody dark at the finish we could hardly see what was going on. It
was either washed out or stopped for bad light. We were down to our last wicket
anyway. It was touch and go whether we’d get the runs or they’d get the wickets.
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The light finished it off for us. That was towards the end of the season and at the
presentation night (I’m sure it was Andy) said Jimmy Laurie is the biggest asset to
Walcha cricket since so and so and he put a bit of colour into Walcha cricket. And
Dick got up and said ‘I don’t know about puttin’ colour into Walcha cricket, but he
put plenty of colour around my ribs.’
“Jim Laurie played first grade in Sydney for Northern District. He was quick,
very quick. But it’s true, however he caught it when it came back was how he
bowled it. Especially playing on mats on concrete. He’d rip the guts out of the ball.
About the second game he ever played for us, we played Nowendoc down there
and Tommy Wayte saw us as we drove down through the scrub. And he said ‘Just
tell Neville I’ll be five minutes late.’ We worked out later he was trying to avoid
Jimmy in case Nowendoc batted first. Anyhow Tommy eventually turns up to see
that Colts are batting and he said ‘Oh, didn’t miss a bloody thing.’ And Jimmy
Laurie went right through ’em and got ’em out for 23.”
Colts openers weren’t spared either because he used to make them have a net
before play started and he bowled full-pelt to his team-mates.
“Yeah, he liked to get us there and have a bit of practice.”
Coming to Walcha must have been an eye-opener in terms of playing
conditions and the standard of cricketers.
“That 1969-70 War Veterans’ Cup side was a really good side. Jim and Sambo
(R.A. Laurie) opened the bowling. It might have been my first game in Firsts
I think and we played up at Armidale on the ground across the road from the
hospital. West End Park I think it’s called. Sambo’s up there, first over and it’s
pretty smart and Jimmy’s first over was pretty smart and then some fellow started
playing the bagpipes just across the road and this music was wafting across the
ground and Sambo said: ‘By Jesus, if cousin Jim gets a taste of these bagpipes he’ll
soon rip through these bastards.’ And he did. He got four for not many and Sambo
got five-for. So there must have been some Scottish blood in Sambo too. Sambo
used to call Jim Laurie, no relation, ‘my cousin Jim’ and he used to call that David
Lawrie from Guyra l ‘that four-eyed cousin of mine’.
“I was keeping down at Nowendoc or Riamukka one day and Sambo Laurie
was batting and snicked the ball. ‘Howzat?’ ‘Not out.’ Sambo just turned around
with a big grin on his face and said ‘Sorry about that, Warwick.’ They never
discussed it for another 30 years until a War Veterans’ Cup-winning side reunion.
You weren’t district ’keeper originally?
“There was Don Margery and sometimes Herbie and I kept a couple of times.
I batted first drop and sometimes down the track a bit.”
Just about all the good cricketers were all-rounders.
“Yeah, I don’t know. The town’s been fortunate to have so many gifted
sportsmen come through. There’s a strong sporting culture.”
Things were good in the 1950s.
“Yeah, you look at the demographics. It was a young population. The War was
over and everyone was building their families.”
All the families went to the games, so kids grew up with a culture of cricket.
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“I used to follow dad around. I never went to district cricket much.”
Rob Laurie said it was a great way to travel.
“Sport certainly broadens your horizons.”
What stands out for you in the club comp?
“Just the fierceness of the competition. It was solid. You didn’t ask for any
quarter and you didn’t give any quarter. I can’t remember anybody going crook too
much. The only thing I remember is that it was just bloody hard cricket.”
This from a bloke who packed in rugby scrums for most of his adult life and
should have represented Australia.
“I reckon Test match cricket couldn’t have been any harder. You’d go and have
lunch and work out what you were going to do with them or go and try and find
another man. You played under MCC rules. You started at 10 and had a morning
session. Then a 45-minute or 40-minute lunch and then you played for two hours
and then tea for 20 minutes and then you played to 6 o’clock and knocked off.”
Inter-district cricket was played under time. That’s where Herbie said Peter
Fenwicke was a good captain. But they were all probably good captains.
“Yeah, after lunch was a bit of a free-for-all. I was playing at Inverell once, I
was a first drop and I was batting slowly and just not scoring many runs. I thought
I was pretty tidy and quite happy to stay there and we came out for lunch and
someone said something about the Test cricket and I said he’s a slow bat and
someone said no bloody slower than you. I think it was either Boycott or Bill
Lawry. Bill Lawry took about five hours to score 50 runs. First Test match I saw
was Ted Dexter’s side in 1963. The Pommy wicketkeeper I think was Murray,
dislocated his shoulder behind the sticks while he was fielding and he couldn’t be
replaced and he came out and it took him an hour to break his duck. He just used
one arm. He just stood there. They got a hiding but he held his end up.
“The only row I ever saw, Herbie went crook at us, at Colts one day. We were
in the final out at the Common. We were late. Me and Irwin Brazel and Blomfield,
just young pups not toeing the line and Herbie just said a few words before we
started. And then the first over Rob Blomfield opened the bowling and out of
the eight balls he bowled six long hops and Herbie was belting him for fours.
There were 28 runs off the first over. That was the start of the day and then later
on young Max Holstein was batting and he was only a kid and Dick MacarthurOnslow bowled to him and Max played Dick back down the wicket pretty hard
and thought it was going to beat Dick and he stepped a couple of yard outside his
crease and Dick fielded the ball and flipped it straight back and hit him in the back
of the head. He dropped like a mullet. He was flat as a tack. It hit fair between the
ears in the back of the head. Anyway they had to get the ambos and that’s when
Herb did go off.”
And then Nowendoc moved to Gloucester.
“I think at that time Nowendoc was having a bit of trouble with Walcha in
general. I think they probably enjoyed their cricket down there a bit more. But
with district cricket on they’d drive to Gloucester on Saturday and Tenterfield on
Sunday. Neville might have been a better tennis player than cricket really. He went
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to Country Week tennis at White City and Harry Hopman saw him down there
and wanted him to go to Sydney and play tennis, and he said no I’m going home.
“I played for Northern Tablelands, but not at the J.S. White Carnival. I tried
out and the last year I could have made it I was bitten by a tiger snake the week
before. I could have gone and should have gone. Herb reckons I would have made
it and I think he was a selector. But you know, that’s history. But anyway I made
the Tablelands side. I remember Geoff Thatcher. Rob Blomfield was in it. I can’t
remember much. We played North-West at Guyra and we batted the first day and
got a few runs and then we had them four for not many on the Saturday night and
it started to piss down rain and it was washed out. Then we went to Walgett to
play North-West NSW and f- - - it was hot. Anyhow I dropped a catch and got two
ducks and that was the finish with me for Northern Tablelands.
“The highest score I ever got in Walcha was 83 or 84. Best score in district
was 50 or 60. I never got a ton. I remember being with dad on his deathbed, about
five seconds before he died. He said ‘I’ve had a good life’ and I said ‘83’s not a bad
score, did you ever get a hundred?’ He said ‘I got 99 once and they gave me out and
I wasn’t out either.’ They were his last words . . . ‘I wasn’t out either’.”
“The thing about playing cricket that to me is always amazing is that when
you’re batting, you’ve got a mate down the other end who’s not much use to
you, and you’re facing 11 blokes who just want to have you.”
Rob Blomfield
R
ob Blomfield is one of the best-credentialled players ever produced in the
region. A star at schoolboy level with The Armidale School, he returned home
with a War Veterans’ Cup already in the bag, having represented the Armidale
inter-district side from the TAS First XI. He went on to play for Northern
Tablelands Colts and seniors and ultimately for NSW Country. A genuine allrounder, he came into the Walcha inter-district side towards the end of a golden
period and in some respects was the last of that era to carry the associated aura. He
says it was a pleasure to play anywhere . . . and that’s exactly what he did. He
played anywhere and everywhere. Some of his career had been saved by his
mother, and the clippings would constitute a great scrapbook if he ever decided to
put one together. He shows off an old program.
“. . . that was the NSW side, and I played against them. I batted for about
three-quarters of an hour to an hour against them for about 15 runs. And that was
against Lennie Pascoe, David Colley. (Gary) Gilmour was unbelievable. He was
just a natural. Batting against him, the ball would swing away, swing away, swing
away and you’d be going down one line and couldn’t touch it and then it would
go back the other way. You couldn’t get a bat on it. Unbelievable. He was the best
bowler I ever faced. “Facing Pascoe . . . once you can actually see it and get used to it, it’s not so
bad. It was a couple of metres faster than anything you’d ever seen in your life. I
remember trying to hook one of those NSW bowlers. I don’t remember who it was.
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I missed, and he said ‘you were pretty game’. That was before helmets.” Inverell all-rounder Gary Bensley was in the same side as Rob. “He was probably only young then. Tony Cochrane was a hell of a good
cricketer. And Brian McIntyre. Don Hill was a pretty handy cricketer. That was
’75. The only stuff I’ve probably kept is where I’ve got a score.’’ He continues through the clippings.
“The War Veterans’ Cup reunion had some interesting articles. The placemats
all had articles. Look at that. My mum’s kept this. I had Peter Toohey out caught. ‘‘When you played against Doug Walters it was a bit like playing against
Neville Holstein. The noise off the bat was just totally different to anyone else. It
was like silk as opposed to steel wool.” I told Neville Holstein that you said two of the things that set him apart were
the noise off the bat and slips fielding. Neville had replied: ‘‘I dropped a couple
too.’’ “Walters was the same. Just had this different noise. Even compared to all
those guys in the NSW team. A silky noise, as opposed to a crashing noise. Just
beautiful timing.” You describe yourself as a very good bush cricketer. It’s not unreasonable
to assume your brothers in Walcha’s “Country club’’, Peter Fenwicke, Neville
Holstein and Lance Kermode could’ve played Sheffield Shield, so why not you? “My practice for the Country match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was one of
the shearers throwing cricket balls to me and I was hitting them back into a netting
fence. That was the only training I had because we were in the middle of shearing
at the time. I went from that to the SCG in 1974. There’s the selection letter that
came. My mum used to tear the stuff out. “There’s the NSW team and all the autographs . . . Gary Gilmour, Doug
Walters, Kerry O’Keeffe, David Colley, David Hourn. It was a practice game
against Northern Tablelands for the NSW side on their way to their first Shield
game of the year. Unfortunately it was pretty wet on the day and we started late
and I remember playing shots backward of point and they’d stop in the water.
It was at Bellevue at the uni. A beautiful oval. The best oval around this area.
It is a fantastic oval. I actually had the privilege of getting a hundred against
University when I was still at school on that oval, against my own coach. He
scored 200 against us and they declared at four for about 330 and TAS were 6-270
the following week, so it wasn’t a bad effort.” The Northern Tablelands comp was great when it had Armidale Firsts playing
at Harris Park and Students playing at Bellevue. TAS were in the Armidale
competition and you were picked in the New England inter-district side and won
a War Veterans’ Cup. ‘‘Yeah, for Armidale against Narrabri in Armidale. I came back from school
in 1967 so started playing in the 67-68 season. I played for Colts and went straight
into the district side. It was interesting. They had a fantastic side then. It was really
unbelievable actually. Lance Kermode was playing.’’ Your cricket career started earlier than that. As a 14-year-old you held up an
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end with Andy Fletcher at Round Swamp. ‘‘Andy was quite impressed with a young fella playing a straight bat. I do
remember that. Round Swamp were trying to outright Colts. I probably came in
at No.5 and you could hear his teeth gnashing at the other end. He never liked to
give up. He said ‘come on young fella, we’re going to stay here all day’. And I said
‘I’ll see what I can do’. And luckily I did I guess. And he said he’d never seen a
straighter bat. It was Alick Bird and there would have had to have been three or
four Hoys there. Kev Hoy was there. Ken Hoy. They were a good side. It was pretty
exciting to play. I was a kid. I was probably only 14 when I did that. I played with
Colts when I came home on school holidays after that. And then permanently from
1967-68.’’ The name Blomfield is steeped in Walcha cricket tradition. ‘‘When TAS was started one of the very first captains was a great uncle of
mine and there were certainly some good cricketers around way back. On my
mother’s side Ray Borthwick my grandfather was a very good cricketer. Bill’s
father. And his mum, she was a very good tennis player. They wouldn’t let her play
with the women. She had to play with the men. So she was a good sport and she
actually, when I was little kid and left with her, my grandmother, she used to bowl
cricket balls at me for hours. She loved it.’’ As mentioned above, if the clippings were put in a book it would be a beauty.
Neville Holstein’s scrapbooks have stuff about his sisters’ tennis and about Peter
Fenwicke’s rugby. ‘‘Peter Fenwicke captained when he played Country cricket. Those guys had
to make a choice. Like Joe Roff. The last time he picked up a cricket bat he scored
a hundred for NSW against Western Australia. He’s never picked one up again.’’ Speaking of choices. ‘‘In the early days of the Winterbourne cricket team there’s a story that one of
the Wrights from Jeogla used to ride through the gorge from Jeogla and come up
the seven-mile spur to Cheyenne and then up to Winterbourne to play cricket. After
they played he’d have a few drinks and then ride back. He’d just give the horse its
head and it would take him home down through the gorge. I think we’re talking
1920s and early 1930s. My dad was playing for the team and Ray Borthwick and
Cec Macdonald and Geoff Blomfield was at Oorawilly. I don’t know who else was
out here playing cricket. Could’ve even been Bill Laycock (Wallaby) ’cause he
was out in this area. And that silver tray in there was given by those guys to Geoff
Blomfield when he got married in 1930 or 1920 something . . . the Winterbourne
bachelors. That was the group . . . the team.’’ You’d played a high standard in New England. Coming back to Walcha were
you familiar with how strong it was? ‘‘I wasn’t actually. I didn’t realise how strong it was until I came back. I knew
of the better players. I just didn’t realise they had such a purple patch before I came
back where they took everything before them for four or five years. Had they have
competed in Sydney grade, especially with some training, you know most of them
didn’t know what a net was. It was just amazing. I knew them and knew how good
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they were. I knew about their tennis prowess, particularly the Holsteins.
“When I first came back Colts was reasonably strong because that very first
year I came back we played in the grand final. I scored 126 and we lost the grand
final. It was either against Nowendoc or Riamukka and Billy Holstein scored 83
and then a 50 and it was played to the finish. Max Holstein was in it. So, first
season back, 126 in the final and lose, just shows it didn’t take long to work out
what it was all about.” (Editor’s note: I think Rob might be confusing this with the
1971-72 final.)
He shows off a scoreboard from an inter-district game. ‘‘That was probably my finest game. They had 10 men and I got the lot. Against
Glen Innes in district. I got 8-35 and ran out the other two and then was not out 72
in a total of 110. That was a good day at the office. ‘‘I had been selected in the Northern Tablelands Colts in my last year at school.
That was the first time I’d been to the trial.”
Back for the 1968-69 Walcha season.
‘‘And then back to Tamworth again for the Colts Carnival. I was actually
Northern Tablelands captain for that year. Denis Wall came a bit later.”
Do you remember much of this without being prompted by the clippings?
‘‘I remember a lot of the Colts stuff, but not a lot of the Northern Tablelands
stuff. I played for years. I played with Neville and Herb. They were still playing
for Northern Tablelands when there were only a couple of young guys playing.
Glen Roff (Joe’s father) and myself.”
You came back into a strong inter-district side.
‘‘It was unbelievable to come into a side with Neville, Max and Lance and Blue
and Drake Margery. Jimmy Laurie wasn’t there at that stage. Bobby Laurie. The
War Veterans’ Cup win was 1962-63 and then about 1969-70 and Jimmy Laurie
was there then. He and Bobby were the bowlers so he must have just come in time
for the second one. When I first came back from school Jimmy Laurie wasn’t here.
‘‘Drake Margery was the ’keeper in the district side and he’d sneak up while
Bobby Laurie was bowling and stump someone down the leg side. I was probably
batting about six and I remember batting with Neville one time. It was a game
we had to win against Armidale or someone towards the finish. It was infectious
to bat with someone like him. I only had the experience a few times, but to bat
with him you’d start playing shots like he was playing. Billy King, Bob Grant and
Keith Smith (when he played in Armidale) were that standard. Those three guys
and then Neville and Lance, they were the best blokes. And then in the Emus there
were some pretty good players.’’ You were a consistent run-scorer in Walcha, but you played a lot of rep cricket
too.
“I had an attitude that if I’m going to be here, I may as well be in the middle.
The first two or three years when I was playing (in Walcha) I couldn’t bowl
because I’d buggered up my knee, and then I buggered my back on that Emu tour
so there were long spells when I couldn’t bowl. I tried to maximise my time in the
middle. The Emu world tour was about 1970 and then I represented Country in
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’74 I think.’’
Rob Laurie and you ran the Walcha inter-district show. He said you were one
of the best in his time and Stephen Goodwin. And someone else said you were as
good a spin bowler as you were a swing bowler.
‘‘Just in my mind I would have liked to have had a crack at rep cricket bowling
off-spin. I can still remember bowling a ball to you that started at about leg gully
and swung past you towards second slip. Things like that you just remember. That
was a skill that just came. I didn’t bowl much at school because I had a buggered
knee. I wasn’t meant to bowl, but I just used to fill in a few gaps every now then
as a change bowler. I could swing it both ways. That was the fun of it. But to then
open the bowling for the Emus was pretty special. When I first played for the
Emus, as a Colt, I batted at no.3 and then when I went on the world tour I was
picked as a bowler. I was batting nine, 10, jack. I hardly got a bat on tour. So I
went from that to opening the batting for Country, the Dougie Walters thing. And
then later to get into Country as an opening batsman made me feel pretty good
after having got a bit of treatment. And later on to be a spin bowler that probably
was the peak of it.’’ From one discipline to another, but always all-rounder in Walcha.
‘‘And just fielding. I’ve always loved fielding.’’ The balance of a side is important, but it’s easier with all-rounders. You’ve
mentioned Sammy Stephens as a fast bowler along with Bobby Laurie and Jimmy
Laurie, and batting in partnerships. But it all changed. Neither you nor Stephen
Goodwin were out and out fast bowlers.
‘‘Steve Goodwin was nippy enough when he started. He played a lot of council
cricket. When I played in that team (in the strong era) they used me as the swing
bowler just at the end of it for a season or two. But the balance changed because we
had fewer specialists. And we went through a long, lean period in district cricket
after that. We knew how to take a hiding, but there were still some exceptional
performances. It’s not that easy in cricket. To have a good cricket team you’ve got
to have a cricket team. You can’t have seven up to district standard and expect to
compete, you’ve got to have 10. We went for years and we were good cricketers
and had a good team, but not up to the standard to win district. After I stopped
playing it lifted again a bit later with Normie and Steve Armstrong. ‘‘You do different things. You get married and have kids and some guys do
that and continue to play good district cricket, but other guys find other things. It
just depends on your circumstances.’’
You used to aim for 100 runs each weekend.
‘‘I used to like to achieve and it’s amazing what you can achieve. Particularly
when I was say 18 to 23 or 24 and really into it. As I said, if you’re going to be here
you may as well be in the middle.
“You have your horror games too, but you have your good games that you
remember. But you miss a bit of form and when you haven’t got nets and you never
practise it’s pretty hard to pick it back up again. But it’s amazing how you do and
the only place you can do it is in the middle, so you have to stay there.’’ 328
Inter-district was played on good wickets, but Stephen Goodwin reckons we
always struggled against spin because there were none around. ‘‘No one used to bowl spin much after the good period, but the other thing is
you can be bowling quite well and some cowboy can tear you to pieces. You get
belted. I remember Jimmy Laurie hitting Duke at the old ground at Woolbrook and
the next ball he was in the river. He was wild too.
“I do wonder what might have been sometime. Gary Bensley and Geoff Wood
were in that side I was in that played NSW.”
We want these blokes to succeed because they come from where we come
from.
“Geoff Wood was that much better. He just had it. Glen Roff was a good bat
and Tony Cochrane. I’ll never forget the game where we went to Glen Innes and
we scored 199 or 210 or 220, not a bad score for Walcha at the time and they came
out to bat. That Graham Moore the opener came out with someone and Coog,
first ball, bang, knocked the other opener over, 1-0. Moore was at TAS, wasn’t in
the Firsts, but he could hit a ball and away he went. He might have been telling
me something because I’d been the First XI captain at TAS. That Cochrane was a
good cricketer.”
Captaining TAS was something?
“My son Ed went on to do it, too. I don’t know how many father-son
combinations have done it. Probably not that many. Ed’s now president of the
association. I was secretary. It’s important for the senior players to get in and take
the roles. I probably should’ve taken on president at some stage. Secretary was
fairly important. I remember getting one phone call about the wicket out at the
Common . . . the RED Scheme . . . and I said if you’ re giving a bit of money out
we could do with a turf wicket. Next thing it’s in.”
Speaking of family.
“A.G. Blomfield, the patron, was Geoff Blomfield from over at Oorawilly and
he was a pretty good cricketer. When I first left school he was well in his 80s and I
used to pick him up and take him to the cricket. Cec Macdonald, the other patron
is Betty Borthwick’s uncle.
“It is remarkable just how good the Holsteins were. I was in town the other day
and here’s Robbie (Laurie) and George (Lyon) both bloody near 60 off to cricket.
(The senior’s stuff) I might have to try myself.
“Old Andy and Don and Jimmy Fletcher . . . Lee Fletcher is someone worth
thinking about. He was a really good cricketer and led Colts with me for a while.
He got about 150 in a semi-final against Rugby Union. He could pick spinners off
the half-volley. To me he was a good captain. He wasn’t too dusty as a leg-spinner,
but he was a very good ’keeper and kept at district level. He really put his head
down there for a few seasons and scored a lot of runs for Colts and Walcha. I
enjoyed playing under him as a captain.
“That was after I’d finished with district and he was wicketkeeping and scoring
a lot of runs for Walcha. Probably before Barry Hoy came is as the ’keeper. I never
got a ton in district cricket. I got 90s and 80s, but never a ton.”
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Who do you rate?
“Probably Robbie Laurie. You had to admire him for a bloke without necessarily
a good technique, he ground it out. And if you look at natural ability Denis Wall
was a good cricketer. He could do anything. I used to enjoy playing cricket with
him at district level. And I actually used to take the Northern Tablelands Colts
down and Denis was part of it. Gee Pommy [Cross] was a good cricketer. Pommy
just had natural, raw talent. And we probably never saw it get as far as it could
have. Mark Peters to me was a natural, but never had the head to guide it. But just
as a natural, clean hitter of the ball I think he was as good as you’d see. You could
get him out, but boy he could create a bit of havoc. Some of the Round Swamp
boys, Kevvie Hoy and blokes like that, gee they were good cricketers. They were
always there. They never let up.”
Round Swamp have a great record. They are always well organised.
“Yeah, well there was another generation. Stevie, and Barry’s been fantastic
and he’s been playing for years now. Duke has done the same with Walcha Road.
I remember getting into trouble against them. We played against them in a final.
They batted first in one of those mid-’70s finals and they got about 200 and Kanga
got a good score. We went out to bat late on the first day and it was really dark and
I was thinking, I shouldn’t be out here, and next thing I was out. It irritated the shit
out of me. A few of us had a 21st on that night and we left straight away to go to
that and it was decided to start play an hour earlier on the Sunday, and we didn’t
know. So we batted our seven people because the other four didn’t turn up until 11
o’clock. That hurt a bit. We didn’t have that good a side. We were a bit privileged
to be there. But it was one of those times when we snuck in by default. But turning
up late for a grand final is sacrilege.”
You always scored well in finals, including a near double ton.
“That was in a grand final. Truck got 170-odd against Rugby Union in a semifinal. Lee Fletcher hit some big scores too. That 190 was against Coog early in
Rugby Union’s time and it was actually a week after I’d played for Country. If I
hadn’t have scored any runs we might have been in strife because we scored 360
and I scored 195. Dick Macarthur-Onslow always said he remembered batting
with me in that game.
“There was somewhere where he batted with me and we put on over a hundred
and he got six runs. I don’t know whether it was in that final or not. I went through
the second hundred in about six overs. I just opened up. I thought, oh well, I didn’t
realise I was that close to a double century. I got caught on the fence too. I was that
far off (gestures with arms open) a 200. I had no idea.”
You always performed in the big games.
“Yeah, I suppose if they’d put the finals and semi-finals into the batting
averages I would have been on top a few times. I didn’t win the average that many
times. But I won them both one year. I probably won the bowling three or four
times and the batting two or three times. I know if the semis and finals had been
included I would have won the batting a few times, but that’s the way it is. They
shouldn’t be in there because it gives everyone the same chance. I liked the way
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finals were played to the end. I think one of them went into a third weekend. It
certainly went into the Sunday of the second weekend plenty of times.”
Dick Macarthur-Onslow was just a great person.
“He loved his cricket and particularly with the Seconds. And he took all those
young kids away. I remember going away with him in the Seconds a couple of
times. Must have been when I was still at school.”
George Lyon remembers too
“Low flying in that old Jag. I remember we flew all the way to Walgett for a
Tablelands game and Herbie Laurie was playing and Neville and David Lawrie,
Jimmy Laurie. I went all that way and opened the batting on Saturday morning
and got a duck and the team batted pretty well, maybe got about 250 and we got
on the grog big time and I was legless the next morning and one of the North-West
blokes hit a ball next morning and I snapped it up in covers and he just looked at
me and said ‘You shouldn’t even be playing let alone taking catches.’ And that
made my day. I remember we were sitting around in the motel room not terribly
well behaved and they had those little Pyrex glasses and Herbie must have had
about 35. They just explode. You should’ve seen the state of the room. He was
normally the senior statesman and well-behaved keeping the rest under control,
but he wasn’t always perfect.”
Cricket was good when it was played over two weeks and there were incentives
to play for points.
“I think it probably had to happen because as the popularity of cricket
decreased it had to be livened up and make allowances for player numbers. It went
downhill because there weren’t as many players. A lot of guys who were sort of
40 or 50 retired. I remember not long after I started playing. That knocked a hole
in a lot of teams.”
Nowendoc were always threatening to go because of the grounds and in the
end went to Gloucester, and the game became centralised at the John Oxley.
“It used to be funny sometimes, balls down rabbit burrows at Round Swamp
. . . down at Nowendoc. A lot of those grounds were on riverbanks. The Walcha
Road ground was very short on the riverside. Didn’t look so short when Jimmy
Laurie was bowling.”
How did you find the standard at Brisbane Country Week?
“I went on a couple of those Wheaton’s trips to Brisbane. I won a bowling
trophy up there one time for something. I used to open the batting. I never got huge
numbers, usually 20s and 30s. I remember going to Moree with Wheaton’s one
year and I took out the bowling trophy there. I had a day like that time at the J.S.
White Carnival where I took six-for in the second innings. That’s the only game
that’s ever been won outright in the J.S. White carnival. We cleaned them up. Got
them on a wet wicket. A few of those North Coast guys were handy cricketers too.
One of them was that Rose the leg-spinner. It’s interesting isn’t it? You can have
a lot of fun in this game.”
Neville Holstein is famous for a big hit at Ken Mackay Oval.
“That’s the difference. The bats today. In the old days it was just timing. There
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are stories up there (Brisbane) of Neville. There’s one where they had to get the
car to go down the street and get it. There was a lot of fun with those Wheaton’s
games. That David Lawrie, he used to organise them for years. I remember going
up to Queensland one year and it was the hottest night recorded in Brisbane up to
that point. I nearly died. I couldn’t handle the heat. It was a bit like Singapore when
we played on that Emus world tour. Some people can handle it, but I couldn’t up
there. But you could swing a ball in that heavy humidity. And you just had to go
out and play. It was all over the place where you played and it’s never an easy game
up there (Brisbane). You’re likely to run into state players and that sort of thing.
Even Moree, when you went out there, there’d be good cricket teams from the
Hunter. The Moree Easter Carnival was a big thing.”
You didn’t mind opening the shoulders at times.
“It was uncontrollable. That’s the difference between the good the bad and the
ugly. There were a couple of guys from Inverell that were pretty good bowlers and
they used to hammer me . . . bruises all over me and then I’d be still there when
they came around the second time. I can still remember playing on the old cement
wicket at the Common and he came in and slammed one in like he’d done when the
ball was new and harder and I was straight on to that and it came right out of the
meat and disappeared through mid-wicket. I said ‘I hope that hurt you as much as
it hurt me earlier’. I think I might have been not out at the end of the day. It’s funny
isn’t it? They’ve hammered you and then they come back on and your eye is in.”
A good wicketkeeper makes a difference for a spinner.
“Even when I was bowling spin I had Lee behind the stumps and it was just
fantastic. Imagine bowling spin if you had Barry Hoy keeping for you? I remember
the first time I bowled spin was against Norm. You could never get him out. I only
walked back a few paces, came in and gave it a lot of turn and a heap of air and it
went straight through him and bowled him. And I thought this is not bad. It was
the first time I ever did it. He’d worn me out.”
Do you remember Walcha Road hiding Sean Kelleher behind tree at the
Common knowing you’d see a vacant mid-wicket, and then dropping in a long
hop?
“I think I do remember that. Some funny things used to happen. I used to hook
in the air but after a while people would work out where they were going so you’d
adjust your shot and just tickle them around the corner or something. Dick Croft
showed me which side of the bat to stand on. I went up to their place as a youngster
and I didn’t know if I was a right-hander or a left-hander and he said pick the bat up
and then said oh you’re a left-hander. We had no idea. You’d read a book by Richie
Benaud or Bradman’s Art of Cricket, but that was about it. I used to set up one of
those tennis balls on a rubber string and see if I could go for 100, then 200 then it’d
be 300. That was probably one of the reasons I ended up with a reasonable eye.
I actually told Pommy [Cross] to do that. It sharpens up the eye. Dick Croft used
to live over at Straban before he went up to Uralla and I can just remember going
over there as a kid.”
Max Holstein loved mixing with opposition.
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“Absolutely. Remember when we played up at Guyra? The game when a car
was sent back for you and Billy Laurie at the RSL club? We rolled them for about
70 and then were 4-20 or something. We spent all night telling them how hopeless
they were. You took about three or four catches and I took about three or four
wickets and that was one of the few games where I bowled some off-spin too.
It must have been towards the end of my district days. Everything they hit you
caught. Best catch I took was John Toshack, son of Ernie Toshack. The ball was
past me. I was somewhere between mid-on and mid-wicket. He’d pulled it low
and hard through mid-on and I ran back thinking I’m never going to touch it and
I dived and threw the hand out and I thought my god. You always do a couple of
them in your career. I always remember that one. It was so much fun. You’d drop
it nine times out of 10. Well Neville Holstein wouldn’t. He’d catch them and no
one else would have seen them. He must have had amazing reflexes. You’d look at
him like a tiger just standing there ready to go.”
He obviously had a presence.
“He had everything in the armoury. And they start to flow and they start to
flow. As I was saying, playing district cricket with him that day, must have been
the game to get us into the War Veterans’ final. He probably batted no.4 and when
I came in he might have been 30 not out and I remember just batting with him and
I ended up 30 not out. But I normally don’t play shots to mid-wicket and you’d be
watching him and next thing I’m doing the same thing down the other end. He
was just toying with the opposition and you just get caught in it and you could
see he was just destroying the opposition and it’s not many times I’ve batted with
someone and felt like that. I was just a kid and I’m out here with this guy who’s
. . . they’d pitch one up on the legs and flick, out of the paddock. And you just
watch him doing it. Anywhere they put it he’d just take them apart. I’ve never had
someone down there that’s lifted me up. He was the only bloke that’s ever done it.
And I was only pretty young. I’d played with Billy King and blokes like that, but
they didn’t lift me like Nev did that day. It was only for 20 minutes, a special 20
minutes.”
You were later to carry a weight of expectation.
“You can’t let that get to you as a sportsman. You’ve just got to go in and say
my job is to do it and it will either happen or it won’t. I always used to say it will
either happen or it won’t. Some days it will. Some days you might have had a
big night out or something and you’re really scratchy and you’re actually playing
within yourself and that’s the day you’re likely to make a big score because you
play within yourself, play within yourself, play within yourself, don’t take a risk
just yet. I’m not good enough to play some strokes. Play straight. Yet you can
come out on eight hours sleep and it’s ‘Ah heck, where did that go?’ I remember
going down to Nowendoc one time and Bobby Laurie was bowling against me
and I was crook. I’d been to a wedding and got absolutely rotten on champagne.
I drove down there and felt like being sick and someone had to do my pads up. I
was sitting down and sweating and I went out and batted against Bobby for his 10
overs and he got me on the last ball of his 10th over. I was happy to get out, but
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I had survived just because I was determined not to make a mistake. I got 30 or
35 just because I was so crook I wouldn’t do anything wrong. I had concentrated.
I remember a little innings like that. It might have only been 28 or 30 but it was
good enough. And Bobby he used to love it. If you had a reputation he’d really rise
to it. That was a challenge.”
Like Jimmy Laurie in nets at The Park.
“Yeah, I used to practise against him and he’d get you jumping around. I
remember Andy McGeoch and maybe Jo Firenze organised a practice before a
final down on the old school wickets and I thought I’ll go down for a hit and I
faced Andy and I was going ‘Hell, this guy’s quick.’ Andy was so big and tall if
he wanted to he let them come at you quite quickly he could. Jo was pretty quick
and Peter Houston. “When I was 14 at school I was captain of the 14As football team and then
my knees buggered up and I wasn’t allowed to play football, so I thought bugger
this I’ll play cricket. Even though I was going all right with my cricket before
that, by the end of that year, I must have only been in second year, they took me
down with the First XI to Sydney. But I was only a kid in shorts. You see so many
people with ability that don’t use it. I like to do anything well. Other people if they
are slack in life they are slack in sport. There aren’t too many people like Gary
Gilmour, that appears to be slack, but is actually a determined bugger. Or like
Doug Walters. Walters was determined. Gilchrist in his book said it took him six
or eight years to break through. Gilchrist had Healy in front of him who wouldn’t
give up. Just the struggle to finally get there, playing Australia IIs. Stan Gilchrist is
still a good coach. All those blokes that get to the top are so driven. You’ve got to
give a lifetime to it. The thing about playing cricket that to me is always amazing
is that when you’re batting, you’ve got a mate down the other end who’s not much
use to you, and you’re facing 11 blokes that just want to have you. The thrill of you
against the world. And a wicketkeeper giving cheek and you play a good shot and
turn around and you don’t have to say much. I reckon it’s one of the great character
builders.”
“Years ago it was a way of travelling around.”
Rob [R.G., Truck] Laurie
R
ob Laurie often accompanied his father Herb to cricket and after returning
home from Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School joined him fulltime.
“Cricket was stronger when I came home from school than it is now, that’s for
sure. I was lucky ’cause that’s when we had good district sides. I think I got three
centuries in a row at one stage in the local comp. I wouldn’t have a clue how many
times I won the batting average.
‘‘The main thing Dad did was make me keen to play cricket. Just from being
involved with cricket, because you did have a great time. Years ago it was a way of
travelling around. Now you don’t have to play anything to travel around. We went
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to Walcha Road and Nowendoc and Brackendale and things. It was more a . . . you
had afternoon tea and all those sorts of things. Definitely you had more players
playing so it was stronger. When I started, Neville Holstein and Lance Kermode
and those sort were the standouts. I can remember Lance batting. I would have
just started playing district cricket. I would have played a couple of games of
district cricket. It would have only been one year with Lance. I probably remember
those things better now than what I did last year. I don’t know why. I suppose it’s
thinking about when you started playing cricket. ‘‘Walcha cricket now, the bowlers now like Luke Wellings, they’re more
cutters, they’re not swing bowlers. There’s hardly any swing bowlers about like
there used to be. I think some bowlers now, like in a 40-over match, don’t bowl
to get wickets, but to just limit the runs scored. And I reckon it’s ruined it around
here.
‘‘Australia doesn’t really produce swing bowlers. The Pakis, when they’re
not throwing, have two swing bowlers. It’s sort of the irony of limited-over and
Twenty-20, which is supposed to be more exciting, but has produced a generation
of non-wicket taking bowlers. It makes the game more boring. Then they don’t
have wicket-taking deliveries for Shield or Test. They’ve got their line worked out
for limited overs and it’s just hard to score off that spot, so they’ll bowl there, not
to get them out, but to stop them scoring. And the batsmen in the middle overs just
poke ’em around too.
‘‘Australia on the last tour of England got playing at a lot of things they didn’t
have to play at. The Poms were bowling just outside off stump on that good length
and instead of letting it go they’d start poking at her.”
You played with your father in Northern Tablelands and War Veterans’ Cupwining sides, and then you took over and you weren’t lucky enough to captain an
inter-district-winning side?
‘‘No, we were in the final a couple of times. We got beaten by Inverell at
Inverell when Steve Armstrong was playing. Irwin Brazel was in that. We shoulda
won. We got them out cheap, but we were about 10 runs short or eight runs short.’’ As with his father, his memories are just as much with Wheaton’s.
‘‘I’ve been tied up with Wheaton’s for a fair bit of it. They’ve got that Brisbane
Country Week every year and it is worth playing in. You do get cricketers from all
over Queensland and NSW. Wheaton’s sort of went all over the place, but since
I’ve been involved it’s mainly been going to Brisbane Country Week or to Moree
Easter Carnival. So they haven’t gone to different states like they used to.’’
It wasn’t Walcha or Wheaton’s, but Gloucester when you turned in that good
bowling that played a part in the Wyong team missing out on Sydney grade
promotion.
‘‘Neville Holstein took me off when it was getting pretty tight because he said
‘I think they might hit you a bit’ and Neville came on. He cut it more than swung it,
he bowled cutters, and he put me right on square leg down at the fence and a couple
went over my head. And then a bloke mis-hit one and I caught him on the fence
and Joe said ‘I dunno whether it was a good thing taking you off.’ But he cleaned
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up then. Neville got two or three wickets.’’
Your father said you bowled well that day. In Herb’s words: ‘‘They said they’d
played Titmus from Pommieland two or three weeks beforehand and you were
bowling nearly as well as him. I heard them say that.’’
‘‘Neville would have got some and I would have got some. I just don’t think
they played spin real well. I think Lincoln Wright got a couple too.
‘‘The highest I played was Northern Tablelands. I played two J.S. White
Carnivals as an all-rounder. Denis Wall was in those sides. I’ve got an idea Denis
Wall might have played in three of ’em.’’
He played in five and in his first one he hit Tim Wooster for a six off the last
ball. ‘‘Yeah, and I got hit for three sixes at a J.S. White Carnival. I only got one over.
They brought me on and this bloke was 96. He got his 100 with a six and then he
hit the next two for six. And Miss Howie was scorer and she come running onto
the field ‘I don’t think you should give him another over,’ she’s telling the captain.
‘‘Armidale thought they were the area that ran the whole Northern Tablelands.
[Brother] Bill played that game up there in the Seconds where they caught one of
the Walcha blokes off a tree branch, the umpire gave him out, and then later in the
match when Armidale was batting and another one hit the tree branch he said that’s
automatically four. Two rules in the one game. Bill always goes crook about that.’’
Any players that stand out?
‘‘When I started, Bob Blomfield was pretty good. He could bat and bowl.
Difference with him and Neville, was Neville could keep the ball on the ground
whereas Bob Blomfield, he was quite happy to belt her in the air. Bloomie was a
pretty fair bowler too. Irwin Brazel had tons of time to play. Mark Peters had an
awful lot of ability, but he didn’t get the runs in district cricket because he was too
attacking. Best I ever saw him bat was out at Moree when we got flogged on the
first day and they put us in for the outright and Mark Peters got real cranky and
said no one ever puts us in for an outright and wastes drinking time and he went
out there and put his head down and batted probably the best innings. Instead of
just trying to score he played shots and really tore ’em apart.
“I’ll tell you who was a good bowler in district cricket and that was Stephen
Goodwin. Probably bowled better in district than town because he got his field
right and they couldn’t get a run. When they brought it back to 10 overs in district
you could actually see the difference he’d made. If you’ve got one end with fast
bowlers, tying that up, and then you’ve got a leggie at the other end, the pressure’s
never off.’’
You were the backbone of the Walcha inter-district side for many years with
Rob Blomfield and Stephen Goodwin. What about another level?
“I don’t know if I was good enough to play for Country in cricket. It’s up
another level. Probably in rugby league I had a few chances.”
‘‘Stephen Goodwin was good. Denis Wall was a good, tight spinner. He tied
one end down pretty well. Bob Blomfield, when I first started. When we started it
was unlimited overs for bowlers and blokes like Bob Blomfield or Denis Wall or
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even Stephen Goodwin you could bowl them 20 or 25 overs. If they were going
all right, just tie that end up. So you had one end tied up. It does make a difference
because now with a limit of 10 you can sit on a bloke for 10 overs, but you’ve just
got to have more bowlers in a side. If you worked it right and one bloke was just
bowling tight, you can have someone trying to get wickets at the other end.
‘‘I used to have trouble with Alick Bird when I started. I dunno why. He used
to just nag away, but he used to talk to you all the time. ‘Oh you hit that one well,’
and he’d con you and then he’d bowl one that you’d miss and he’d say ‘Ah, must
have hit a rock.’ I think it was just I was young. Because he talked to you ‘Oh good
shot. You’re in form.’ And then he’d bowl something different and you didn’t pick
it and you’re out.
‘‘Of the ones we played against, Geoff Wood from Uralla, who played in
Armidale, was a terrible good player. But he’d had two or three years in grade
in Sydney. Then he came back. Armidale always had pretty good fast bowlers,
but they were a bit different every year. It did make inter-district cricket when
they had the uni side in. Guyra had a bloke by the name of Don Hill. He was a
pretty good bowler. Lindsay Mulligan from Guyra was a good bat. Brian Fletcher
from Tenterfield, he played for years, he was a pretty good bat. He went on a few
Wheaton’s trips with us. Tenterfield had a bloke up there, Cameron, that played for
South Australia, real big bloke, but he was a fast bowler for South Australia. He
didn’t bowl much for Tenterfield but geez he could bat. He gave us few hidings.
Big hitter.’’
The issue of surface.
‘‘With coir mats you could play off the back foot. As long as you could cut
and hook you had a fair advantage. You’ve got to drive a fair bit now. I didn’t
see many turfs until I went to Farrer, but then Tamworth was all turf. By the
time I came back Walcha was talking about putting in a turf. That was one of
the reasons we went to Gloucester. We had all turfs down there. Neville Holstein
moved to Gloucester and talked us into playing down there for a year. Gloucester’s
struggling now too. Walcha were talking about not even putting a turf in then they
eventually put that one in on The Park. It wasn’t looked after real well for a start.
‘‘The wicket on The Park is still the best for inter-district cricket. It’s only if
we get an early match that it’s not right. It’s in pretty good shape at the moment,
probably the best it’s been. The association is lucky with ‘Pothole’ [Wayne Boyd].
He’s sick of doing it, but he’s doing a good job. When they moved The Park they
put the pitch in the wrong place. There are too many short boundaries It’s not a
real big ground like it used to be. They completely changed it. The pitch wasn’t
put in the right spot. The turf on the Common is not a bad strip, but it slopes away
on one side.’’
Is captaincy a natural thing?
‘‘Yeah. I suppose with inter-district cricket there would have been a few
captains in between. Dad taught me a bit about captaincy. They used to grind
sides down a lot in the old days. But then it wasn’t divided time so if you could
you batted an hour longer so they couldn’t win the game. Then bowl anyone to get
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them out. Make sure you got them out. Now she’s all 50-overs.’’
“Two bunnies to get a 10-wicket haul in an innings and he took me off. ”
Denis Wall
D
enis Wall played for Ingleba, Commercial, Nowendoc, Rugby League,
Memorial Club, Bowling Club, Walcha Central School and Northern
Tablelands. Let’s get to the nitty-gritty.
“Ingleba folded after Lance died. He was the one who told me to bowl spin.”
Denis helped Willie Makeham, Rob Laurie, Rob Blomfield, Davey Fletcher,
Warwick Fletcher, Revee McCormack and Kevvie Hoy among others resurrect
the game in Walcha after two seasons as a four-team comp and one season as a
five-team he decided to add another. Six teams and Walcha cricket was on a roll
again.
‘‘Memorial Club formed when I went to ‘Jockey’ Byrne and I said I’ve some
kids here that can’t get a game, the comp needs another team, is there any chance
of getting some sponsorship? And he said yeah, no worries at all.”
You certainly recruited well. Those kids that couldn’t get a game included,
Irwin Brazel, Billy Laurie, Peter Natty, Doug Jamieson, Garth Clare, Andrew
Cross, Simeon Cross, a young but outstanding Chris ‘‘Pommy’’ Cross and later
a young but outstanding Mark Peters and an old but outstanding Roy Chandler.
Mind you Rugby League had done the same thing.
“We had too many players and selection of the team did become an issue.
Roy Chandler came back after a lot of the blokes went back or joined other teams.
Pommy came from Rugby Union to Memorial Club and then back to Union, Coog
back to Rugby League. Doug Jamieson and Garth Clare went to Rugby League.
“Memorial Club folded when we had a dispute with the management over
long hair and rules. We were all trying to grow long hair then. There was a bit of a
dispute and we weren’t allowed in the club.”
Like Russell Fairfax and Ian Schubert at the Roosters?
“And there were a few behavioural issues. Jockey said if you take this team to
the Bowling Club I’ll sponsor you down there. So Bowling Club took us on, same
deal. I finished my career with Bowling Club.
‘‘I retired when I was 45, a short career for Walcha, only 32 years. I knew it
was time when I started dropping catches. I was always pretty dark when someone
dropped a catch off my bowling. That and work commitments, but when I started
dropping catches I thought, well I know how these blokes feel.
‘‘I went to five J.S. White Colts Carnivals. I had just turned 16 when I went to
the first one, so from age 16 to 21.”
You must have been a walk-up start.
“It was harder to get out than it was to get in. I was an opening bowler for two
carnivals and a spinner for three. It was too hard a work and too hot in Tamworth
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at New Year to bowl fast.
‘‘I always had more potential as a spin bowler. The selectors thought so
anyway.”
Walcha was a great breeding ground for spinners, with the bonus points system
after the War, the strong inter-district side and the coir mats. You came in that era
when every club had a spinner, and match-winning spinners.
“Lance Kermode said to me when I first started, ‘You’ve got more potential
as a spin bowler than a seam bowler.’ And to get a place in the inter-district team
wasn’t easy. Ingleba alone still had Gordon Jamieson and Aiden Wall, Frank
Bowden and Ronnie Green. By the time I came on to bowl the ball was buggered
from the coir mats anyway, so you had to bowl as a spinner.”
Five J.S. White Colts Carnivals including a famous six off the last ball of the
day to win a match for Northern Tablelands, at War Veterans’ Cup [12th man] as
a 16-year-old, inter-district Firsts. Tim Wooster was the man you hit for six, he
ended up taking 117 wickets for the Emus alone, he was also in the Tamworth
Colts side beaten by Walcha in the last War Veterans’ Cup win, and played first
grade in Sydney.
“Tim was a pretty good cricketer. First time I came across him was at a J.S.
White Colts Carnival. North-West had batted first and got a big score, 270 or
something, after we had them 1-0 off the first ball of the match. And then they
were 2-270-odd. Geoff Thatcher and Tony Cannon both got centuries. Then we
batted and Rob Blomfield got 90 in reply and Geoff Wood from Uralla got some
runs. Alan Campbell got runs. It came down to myself and I think it was Merv
Haywood, the last two in, and we wanted 10 or something off the last over and
then it came down to the second-last ball and we needed four to win. So I put him
into the river for six. That was the very first carnival I went to.
“The competition for an Emu spot was pretty stiff and I was picked as a bowler
and never got a bowl at the first carnival. I batted 10 and didn’t get a bowl. It wasn’t
until the third carnival that I got a fair go and I was the third spinner in line for the
Emus, according to Ian Southwell, who was the major selector at the time. But I
didn’t get the nod because they only took two spinners.”
Any regrets?
“Cricket was strong and I wasn’t good enough.”
You were touring with Wheaton’s so that was something.
“It was more of a social tournament, but Wheaton’s always had strong sides
and were more than competitive.”
Cricket changed a bit over your playing career.
“I think lifestyle became an issue for a lot of people. And Saturday afternoon
cricket came in and limited-over cricket had a big influence on the way people
thought about sport and especially cricket. The diehards in the early days were
there for a full day’s cricket. But with 40-over matches the traditional style of
cricket had gone out the window and that was a major reason why a lot of people
did give it away at the time.”
Cricket may have been stronger before the War.
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“More players.”
It was really strong just after the War, two zones and a lot of teams and a lot
good players coming in at once.
“The younger people and a lot of people had cars, and a lot more money
to spend, and we’re only a couple of hours from the coast. Instead of spending
Saturday afternoon playing cricket the majority of them thought ‘we may as well
be at the coast for the weekend, we’ve got a car’.
Your knowledge of the game is second to none. Ever thought of coaching?
“I thought of it, but because of all the regulations involved it just seemed too
much hassle. And we were trying to get the property established so time was an
issue.”
Best players locally? You had big wicket-taking years and big run-scoring
years against some pretty good players.
“Every team had a good cricketer. Peter Boyd has been a good cricketer for
a long time. Kevin Hoy is another that comes to mind, but you always think of
the Lauries and the Holsteins. In later years I think Mark Schuhkraft was one
of the better cricketers. He would have held his own with the best of them. Rob
Blomfield has been a good cricketer. Mark Peters had more potential than most
people. Pommy Cross is another one who had a lot of potential.”
Any difference between the clubs you played with, Ingleba, Commercial,
Nowendoc?
“Yeah, there was a more competitive feel at Nowendoc. If you didn’t turn up
on time and weren’t dressed properly for the match then you were on the sidelines
next week. That was the attitude, you turned up on time and acted and behaved
like a cricketer. The 151 I got for Memorial Club against Rugby League was my
highest score. I wouldn’t regard it as my best innings. I reckon the best innings I
played was getting 70-odd in a semi-final against Rugby Union. It was played on a
Sunday in front of the touch football crowd on the John Oxley batting with Herbie
Laurie and chasing a reasonable Rugby Union tally.”
The symmetry in this story is Walcha cricket in a nutshell. Denis played under
Herb and with Herb’s son Rob at Nowendoc when Ingleba folded and with the
inter-district and Wheaton’s teams. Herb “nursed” Denis and then the wheel turns
full circle.
“That’s the most enjoyable innings. Rugby Union had a team of quicks and
they pounded poor old Herb. They had Jock Laurie, Andy McCormack, “Jinx”
Chandler and Mark Peters, maybe Pommy. And I remember Herb saying ‘I’ll stay
here if you get the runs’. That’s the most satisfying innings I’ve had.”
You did score 106 in a semi or a final,
“That was against Colts, Nowendoc against Colts. I think we won the game
and I think Peter Makeham might have got a century on the same day.
“I’ve had my disappointments. I remember in the final of the Northern Daily
Leader Shield, the year we did win it. I opened the bowling and had 8-6 off five
overs including a hat-trick and then being replaced by Tony Bowden. I’ve never
forgiven him. Two bunnies to get a 10-wicket haul in an innings and he took me
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off. That’s the most disappointing thing I’ve ever experienced. He brought himself
on too. But he didn’t pick up the wicket. I think Daryl Bath might have picked up
one. I’ve never forgotten.”
Walcha cricket when it’s strong has a lot of all-rounders.
“I think that’s probably a reflection of not being coached as kids. Having a set
coaching clinic where the kids with potential as batsmen would be tutored as such,
but that potential isn’t developed. Whereas in other areas, I know it happens in
Tamworth, they have ex-players identifying someone as a specialist batsman and
he’s pushed and coached that way, but up here you’re just one of the team and you
contribute in a number of ways.”
A yarn from the master story-teller.
“One that does stick in my mind is the time we batted one of the Lynch twins
twice. We had 11 players but one Lynch couldn’t bat very well. We were playing
Walcha Road and we needed about 20 to win and one Lynch, I couldn’t tell them
apart and neither could anyone else, and he got out and Billy Laurie walked him
around the car and put another cap and shirt on him and sent him back out again.
We got it down to six and he got out again. When we went up to shake hands Peter
Boyd said ‘You’re the bloke that was here before.’ I was batting at the other end
and I didn’t realise for a couple of overs what had happened. I was trying to keep
a straight face and score runs at the same time. It wasn’t easy.”
You always played the game in the right spirit.
“I’ve just enjoyed the friendship of everyone and the competitiveness.”
“Dear oh bloody dear. That’s just straight cheating.” Andrew Cross A
ndrew Cross started playing in the late ’60s, but seriously and regularly in the
early ’70s, first with Colts for three games, then Rugby Union and then after
returning from a stint in Sydney, with Rugby League. He estimates he’s taken
more than 500 wickets, which is a hard figure to corroborate, but as important
as his contribution has been on the field, his recording off the field has been
invaluable. He opens his reminiscences with a story about an Armidale umpire.
“It was at Harris Park in Armidale. I couldn’t believe it. The batsman was
squared up, in his crease, I’ve hit him plumb in the middle of the pads, not a bat
in sight. And you could not see the stumps. His bat was nowhere near the ball and
I turned around to the umpire and said: ‘Howzat?’ And he said: ‘Not out.’ And
just as I watched the ball I noticed it had gone through the pads and knocked the
bail off, and I said: ‘Hypothetically, what if the ball slipped through his pads and
bowled him, would that be out?’
“And he said: ‘Oh yeah, I’d have to send him then.’ And when the batsmen
stepped sideways it was obvious he’d been bowled and the umpire said: ‘You’ve
got to go.’ I was thinking about the original decision on the leg before and I went:
‘Dear oh bloody dear. That’s just straight cheating.’ ‘‘The umpire should’ve known I only appeal when they’re out . . . definites.
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That old bloke stayed on for years umpiring and he was still doing it.”
You had a good career as a schoolboy, making several junior representative
teams and playing for the school in the successful Northern Daily Leader Shield
teams.
“I came into senior cricket in the early ’70s, but I probably actually had a
couple of games in the late ’60s. But really the early ’70s, when I was 14 or 15. The
first game I played was with Colts, and I had two or three games with them. But
really, I started out with Rugby Union, which was just a bunch of schoolkids and
a few older blokes like Warren Bailey and Revee McCormack. Brian Malone was
ahead of me at school and he was playing with Rugby Union and he was a pretty
handy bowler. When I came back from Sydney I played with Rugby League.
They’d started the season before I left. I remember playing against them. And then
I came back in 1977 and I’ve been playing with Rugby League ever since.”
Malone was captain of a Northern Daily Leader Shield-winning side that
included Andrew who was only in third form (year 9) at the time. Walcha had
good junior cricket teams from the under-10s through and most kids were well
versed in how to play cricket and made the transition quite easily to the town
competition.
“With the under-16s we always had competitive teams and that was two-day
cricket. Your brother Perd [Brian Croker] and I bowled through an innings against
De La Salle in Armidale to try to secure a win up there and I always remember he
took a catch diving forward in slips. There was no real problem with the transition
from coir to turf because the Northern Daily Leader Shield games and Armidale
junior rep games were on turf. In the under-16s Peter Natty and Garth Clare and
me went to Coffs Harbour. And we’ve had turf here from about ’75, but yeah, if
you’d been picked in junior rep teams you got to play on turf, in Armidale or Coffs
Harbour. Once you got into district games you weren’t going from mats onto turf.
And then we got two turfs going in town as well.
“I was about 18 when I came into the district side. I didn’t play district cricket
for very long. When I got the job as pool manager in ’82 I used to have to get people
to run the pool for me, so it was costing me money to be away. I probably had one
or two seasons of district cricket before I went to Sydney when I finished school.
That would have been with Rob Laurie, Rob Blomfield, Irwin Brazel, Denis Wall,
Peter Boyd, Jock McPherson, Andy McGeoch, Peter Natty and Doug Jamieson.”
So you were right on the end of the era and the changing of the guard just after
the last War Veteran’s Cup win?
“It was a new lot of guys coming through. We used to get a bit of a touch-up.
I know Armidale Firsts liked to try and outright us, but they very rarely got it
because we used to dig the heels in. But against Glen Innes, Guyra . . . Tenterfield
it was a different story. But Armidale were probably strong enough to have two
sides. District cricket was enjoyable. I’m sorry I wasn’t in a position to keep
playing. I said to them one day: ‘If you pay me $200 I’ll play district cricket.’
And they said, ‘How do you work that out?” And I said, ‘It’ll cost me $100 to pay
someone to look after the pool and then by the time I have a feed and get on the
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piss there’s another $100.’ And they said, ‘But you don’t have to do that.’ And I
said, ‘Well yes I do.’ You are appreciative of how important it is to keep records – cricket is a game
about statistics – but also the funny stories.
“I batted in a motorbike helmet once, which didn’t go down well. But not just
the crazy stuff, it’s also about the things you get to experience. “I played Neville Holstein down at Gloucester, at what should have been the
end of his career, and I thought I could bowl a bit. In my own head I thought I
could bowl a bit. And when he put me over the grandstand down there two or three
times I realised that either I couldn’t bowl very well, or he could bat really well.
And he wasn’t a young man at that stage. He could certainly play cricket.
“My best bowling figures are 8-36. I’ve never won the senior bowling average,
but I’ve won the aggregate a couple of times. I got 41 wickets once and I think 34
the other one, which I shared with Duke Boyd. I’ve played in quite a few grand
finals and we’ve lost more than we’ve won.”
Round Swamp would have to be considered the most successful.
“Seventeen times they’ve won the comp I think. They are well organised, but
every team has been through its rough times.”
Even when you talk to the old blokes who played when cricket was strong
they tell stories of teams often playing short. When you go back through those old
trophies you’ve got Winterbourne, Kentucky and Wollun. Woolbrook and Walcha
Road had teams. And how do you rate the players of the past 40 years?
“I think the most consistent over a long period of time would have to be Peter
Boyd, Barry Hoy, Steve Goodwin and Truck [Rob Laurie]. And you’ve got to
take your hat off to blokes like Robert Blomfield and Denis Wall, going back a
fair while. Most of those other blokes I’ve mentioned, except for Norm who gave
it away last year (2010), have played for extended periods. Rob Blomfield played
for a fair while, but he’s in my list for ability. Duke and Truck have played for 50
years and that’s just freakish. Mark Schuhkraft was a good player. He was ultracompetitive and he put a lot of backbone in the district team.
“Of the young blokes, Nathan and Kyle Goodwin would hold their own in
anything. And even fellas like Steph Sweeney. He’s a good player. A real good
all-round cricketer. And Ching [Jamie Sweeney]. And Bucko, Greg Buckland, he’s
really competitive, not a brilliant player, but gritty. He would have held his own
in club cricket in the ’60s. There’s lots of blokes around here like that, who would
hold their own in a stronger competition. I’m not saying they’d excel at district
cricket or anything like that. Greg, or Gregor, Partridge as he was called could
bowl.” You reckon you have taken more than 500 wickets in town cricket, scored a
century and won premierships. Were you good enough to play Northern Tablelands
at the J.S White Colts Carnival?
“The closest I ever got, I went to the trials and Rob Blomfield was one of the
selectors and I went pretty well and I was playing some decent district cricket at
the time. But a bloke by the name of Gary Bensley was selected and he went on
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to play for Randwick and NSW. It was either me or him and they went with him.
That’s fair enough. I don’t have any grudges. But it would have been nice just to
get to that next level to see how you’d go.” And you’re aware of how well Walcha players perform when selected for
Northern Tablelands. “Tim Wooster played for Country and Denis Wall put it in the pool didn’t he?
At schoolboy level we’d never seen anything like those practice nets at Tamworth
when we went down for the North-West Schoolboys trial. Bernie Briggs was
putting Paulie Cotterill in the river.
“I remember playing a district game when I was filling in late in my career and
I was bowling from the Bowling Club end and I thought I’ll just roll this slow one
down. And I watched it climb onto Archie Natty’s front lawn. I think it was Tony
Cochrane from Glen Innes.
“I remember Gavin Watt put one up in the Union Club. That’s a pretty big hit. Geoff Wood was a good left-handed opener. He was really consistent and I think
he played for Country too. He ended up mayor of Uralla. Neil Bailey, a left-arm
orthodox spinner from Armidale always went well. He was in that game at Harris
Park when the old Armidale umpire turned down my lbw appeal and then gave the
batsman out because I’d bowled him. Later on, Neil’s come around the wicket and
I’m batting down the Walcha end. I’ve taken two steps down the wicket and swung
and missed and it’s hit me on the front pad and he’s turned around and appealed.
There’s no way in the world any umpire could give it out, but of course I was sent
on my way. I thought, no, I’m not missing this opportunity. I didn’t walk straight
off. The dressing sheds at Harris Park were off at an angle, but I walked straight
down the wicket, and Neil Bailey’s a good bloke, and we catch up and we have a
great yarn, but I’ve walked straight past him and the umpire and said: ‘It’s a pity
it doesn’t f ------ work both ways.’ And then headed off. And as I was going the
old umpire turned to Neil and said: ‘What would he have meant by that?’ And I
thought, don’t turn around and say anything or you’ll end up getting yourself in a
bit of strife here.”
“I took 7-20 on that old Woolbrook ground one day. But Jimmy Boyd put me
up over the top of those pine trees. I still don’t how the laws of physics allowed
him to do it. It went over the road. He had that strange stance at 45-degrees and he
wore the black pants with braces. We were playing a District Seconds game up
at Stonehenge at Glen Innes and I saw Rodney Aynsley hit a six over slips. I still
don’t know how he did it.”
S
tephen “Norm” Goodwin had more control than the fat bloke in Thomas the
Tank Engine. You were a superstar fast bowler from age nine in 1968.
‘‘You got the date right, but I was always a medium bowler, wouldn’t say fast,
but always an opening bowler. I more or less tried to swing it a bit. I don’t think
the balls swing as much these days.’’
You were swinging them for a long time. “Even when I did give up playing, which is not that long ago now, probably
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five years. I played to my late 40s. The only reason I retired was because [son] Kyle
had two or three seasons in Tamworth and he didn’t have his licence at that stage
so I was taking him down.’’
He followed in dad’s footsteps?
‘‘Bective wanted him to play. He never played in any Colts carnivals.’’
You could move the ball both ways through the air and cut it both ways off the
wicket, with great control.
“I prided myself on being as tight as I could. I’d rather bowl 10 overs for not
many runs than get a heap of wickets and go for plenty and get flogged.’’ Rob Laurie said you were one of the best for that very reason. You were always
in the rep stuff. ‘‘Honestly, I don’t remember a lot of my rep cricket as a young fellow. Mainly
when I think of rep I think of when I first started playing for the under-21s. I think
I was 15 when I came into district cricket for Walcha.’’ Rob Laurie said he could bowl you for 20 or 25 overs if he had to.
‘‘I liked doing that. I wasn’t a quick bowler because I had to bowl too
many overs. Even when I started with Round Swamp probably aged about 14, I
remember Kevvie Hoy using me pretty well like that too. I played district cricket
right through until a couple of years before I retired. I played against a few good
’uns. That Neil Johnson from Tenterfield, he was quick. He used to play in the
Colts carnivals with us, he livened [Walcha] up a few times. And I still remember
getting carted by that big left-hander from . . . there was a Moore. Tony Kay from
Tenterfield, good young bloke. Lindsay Mulligan was a good cricketer. A good
bat. So was that Tony Corcoran from Glen Innes.’’ Neville Holstein’s scrapbook has the Walcha under-12 averages when you
won the bowling and Gary Natty the batting. You just missed out on the era when
the inter-district team was really strong. When Rob Laurie took over as president
and there was a four-team comp he was still confident because of you and others
coming through. ‘‘About ’73 I came in and I don’t think as many young fellas want to play.
There’s a few good ’uns around that could play and would make a difference. But,
what can you do? District success [in 2011-2012] might change them. We used to
get a bashing all the time in inter-district cricket when I came in. For a long time.
Who do we play this week, who’s going to give us a bashing? We had blokes that
were trying, we just weren’t competitive enough. There weren’t enough teams in
the comp to enable a high standard. Truck did a good job at that stage. I’ve never
had a lot to do with the organisation of senior cricket. The blokes that have, have
done well to keep it going. I would have loved to have come in that golden era. I
did play against Gloucester. I travelled down with Kanga Boyd in his blue Torana.
I got on a wicket doing a bit and I remember bowling to Neville and I got a few past
him early, and that was the end of it. From then on he just put us wherever he liked.
I think he got 80 or 90, might have been a hundred. He was nonchalant. That was
my first sight of Neville Holstein. Had the privilege of playing tennis with him. He
could have done anything there too. He was brilliant. I would have loved to have
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played in that last War Veterans’ Cup era with Sambo and Jimmy Laurie, but also
with Truck and Denis Wall coming in.’’
Rob Laurie changed the strategy of inter-district cricket. ‘‘We didn’t have enough strike weapons, so we hoped one of the three or four
good bats got some runs, and then tie ’em up again. We got into a few district
finals, but never won one. I’ve never won a district final and it’s a fair while since
they had. We had our chances. I played in all those Mulligan Cup finals. Runnersup three times. We got beaten twice down here at The Park. The team was a little
bit stronger, but worked in the same way. We hoped one of the better bats got going
and then we had Mark Schuhkraft. He’d bowl non-stop from one end. He’d bowl
25 overs from one end. I’d bowl at the other end. That’s why they didn’t get many
runs against us. But once again we didn’t chase very well. In the finals against
Inverell we restricted them. Armidale got 200-odd, but we should have beaten
Inverell twice. That would be my biggest regret, not winning a district title. It was
a shame to miss the overseas Emu tour. I would have gone the season before I was
selected, but for an unfortunate incident. Truck was in the War Veterans’ Cup with
[uncle] Sambo Laurie and [no relation] Jimmy Laurie. We had our chances a few
times in district finals.’’
It must be good to see your kids come through? ‘‘That was one of the highlights, playing with my boys and actually winning a
comp with them. I played district cricket with Nath. Don’t know whether I played
district cricket with Kyle. Got a feeling I did play one game with him. It was good
to play with the boys.’’
How are you with the stats?
‘‘I don’t know how many times I won the bowling average. It might have only
been a couple. I won the batting average one year. I’ve scored either two or three
centuries. The first one I ever scored was against Rugby Union down at The Park
in one of those two-day games. That was unreal cricket with the bonus point
system.’’
There was always an incentive. ‘‘That’s when someone took the ball to school to shine it up. She was looking
a bit dull after the first day’s play, but she swung next week. Them days you could
do that sort of thing. The old buff wheel and 10 coats of lacquer. That ball should
have reversed or done anything. Someone had to look after the ball.” Rugby Union thought you might put a pin in it too, just to make sure it swung.
“Fish hooks mate, they’re the trick. I still remember that game. You would
have only rubbed it in the cement if you’d been looking after it. They were good
days. We won Northern Daily Leader shields. Never went to any presentation.
What about that junior side that went to the presentation night in Armidale and
then they gave the title to someone else. I can still remember that night. Some
stick in your mind. I got a 97 in district, at The Park against Armidale Seconds.
That was the closest I came. I never even realised I was that close. Snicked one
down the leg side and got caught at a leg gully. That’s when they had that Dave
Piddington playing then too. He was the same age as Nathan and was quick and
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got quicker and quicker after that. I think I just stood and delivered that day. I
had Peter Houston’s or Greg Carter’s [Grey Nicholls] Giant and they came off the
middle all right that day.
‘‘At a guess I’d say I won four or five comps with Round Swamp. I only
captained one year and I don’t think we did any good. Probably why it was only
for a year. We had Kevvie [Hoy] as a captain and then [son] Barry [Hoy] sort of
took over. And that was good. I didn’t go much on being captain anyway. I played
under Kevvie first and I don’t know if anyone else captained.’’ The boys developed well. “Nath was only 13 or 14 when he started playing district cricket. He was
quicker then than most kids around that age. They reckoned he was going to be
real quick, but he had trouble with his back. He had scoliosis. He’s had a lot of
trouble with it, but 13, so he’s had a fair few years with us and Kyle probably
started at a similar age when he came through. He’s a totally different cricketer,
Kyle than Nath. Nath was a pretty handy bowler, an opening bowler, swung it both
ways. He had big outswing and I had innies, but Kyle was a cowboy when he first
started. Kyle hated cricket. He would not play when he was little. Nath got him
out the back and used to pepper him every arvo. He used to come in crying from
getting hit with a ball with tape wrapped around it. Then he just started to like the
game. Nath bats right-handed, Kyle’s left. Kyle’s a spinner. He started bowling
leggies actually. He was bowling leggies all right then he changed. No worldbeater as a spinner but he’s a good bat. I couldn’t get Nath to stand on the right
side of the bat, but never mind. It’s always good for kids to play sport for a start,
but always good to have a little input at the start. As Kyle got going Nath taught
him a few tricks of the trade. I helped him a little bit. I saw the 260 Kyle got. I was
umpiring for part of it. Steph was there. I saw the first half of the match when he
chased down the TAS 200. I saw TAS get their runs, but not the next week. Troy
Yarnold got 70-odd too I think. I’ve seen few of his knocks. They both go the tonk
a bit too much for my liking but . . .’’ Walcha’s devotion to juniors has been important. Kids are never daunted.
‘‘That’s right. You felt as if you should be there. It’s not a cockiness, but
you know you’re not out of place. Same then to come from well-organised and
successful juniors into Round Swamp, under Kevvie Hoy well established and
well-organised club. Always going to have a good wicketkeeper and a good
batsman to give you a target to bowl at.
“We were lucky like that. In some respects the higher you go the easier it is.
There are so many good ones around all you have to do is your job and everything
else looks after itself. I have played against some good ’uns and seen my young
blokes play against some good ’uns too. Nath played against Michael Clarke in
his junior rep days. I told you then that kid would play for Australia. Nathan got
5-9 in one of those rep carnivals in Sydney and they were looking at him the
next day, but he hurt his side. He had a torn side. He still gets it. When Kyle and
Mitch [Sweeney] went down to Barooga, Phil Hughes was down there playing. He
looked all right.”
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Not many come along. They need three or four seasons of solid Sheffield
Shield run-scoring.
“They rush them. In saying that though I wished they’d had Twenty-20 when
we were playing. It looks like fun.’’ Stand-outs in the local comp?
‘‘There are that many good cricketers I’ve probably forgotten half of them,
but Rob Blomfield sticks in my mind. He was such as really nice bat and a good
bowler. He could swing it both ways. And a good competitor. If you go back to
good players I had the privilege of bowling to Neville Holstein. Walcha played
Gloucester down at Gloucester. He was a brilliant bat. I had the privilege of playing
with Max too. He played with Swamp when he came out of retirement. Truck and
Duke as competitors. That’s why they’re still playing. Hats off to them. They’ve
been good cricketers. But you know one of the best cricketers around here was
Mark Schuhkraft. When he played around here, I don’t know for how many years,
but there weren’t too many better than him. He was brilliant in the field, a great
left-arm bowler and could bat. He took us to those finals in district cricket. He
bowled his 16 straight or whatever for three-odd or four-odd runs. He was on of the
best I reckon. He wasn’t here that long, but I rate him as one of the best in my time.
Barry Hoy would be one of the unsung fellas. Probably one of the best sportsman
to come out of the town, but vastly underrated. He developed his wicketkeeping
and he still scores hundreds. Some of the best digs I’ve seen have been played by
Barry. Club and district. When he was on song he was one of the best bats around
here. He would’ve killed ’em if he’d gone for rep trials. We all know what ‘Turbo’
was like, very devastating. He played with us too for a few years at Swamp. I don’t
reckon he fulfilled his potential. I reckon he could have gone further.’’
You experienced turf from a fairly young age through the Northern Daily
Leader Shield.
‘‘I’d rather play on turf than coir matting. Although that Terry Hay used to
skittle a few through. Get a few shooters from the leather strap on the end of
the mat. Anyone you’ve talked to say who they thought was the quickest? That
Terry Hay would have to have been up there. Jim Laurie was quick. You could see
when Max Holstein came back that he’d been a good ’un. Different eras mate. Neil
Johnson was the quickest. A couple from Inverell were very quick. Big Mackie. I
think he broke Coog’s thumb once. I still remember that.’’
Spinners?
‘‘There wasn’t that many good spinners around. None in Walcha and that’s
what hurt us when we came across a half-decent spin bowler in district. We
were buggered. We never knew how to play ’em. Armidale used to have a decent
spinner, a leggie. There were a few offies about. I think it hurt the boys this year,
even though they made the semis, is you’ve got to bat your 50 overs out.” The bonus points systems in the two-week matches in the past meant Walcha
producing spinners.
‘‘I stand by my theory about no spinners in my era, especially later on in
those Mulligan Shield finals. Inverell had a pretty good spinner I think. Armidale
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always had a good spinner or two, and they were the ones that did the damage.
I know Barry wasn’t under the impression it hurt them too much in this latest
campaign, but I think it did.”
Rob Laurie reckons the difference in the comp now from when he started is
not only no spinners, but no swing bowlers. “Not only at Walcha level, but right to the top, no one can play swing bowlers.
There used to be swing bowlers around in our time. Anything moving off the
wicket too and Australia’s bats are in trouble, like in England. They always
struggle when the ball moves. Not enough swing bowlers around Australia. That
reverse swing is a bit of an art. Wasim could do it. No one swings ’em like Bob
Massie used to, or Tangles. Maybe it’s the action. They’re all coached to bowl the
same way now to avoid injury. Maybe the natural swing bowlers have it coached
out of them.’’
Would you have played grade in Sydney for a shot at Shield?
‘‘Not really. They used to pick the Country team more or less from the under24s. I never contemplated going further. I probably tapered off after the Emu
tour, although I did go to Tamworth to play the year after the Emu tour. Played
down there with Norths. I can’t remember if I had one or two years down there. I
didn’t set the world on fire, but I didn’t get much of a bowl either. Bob ‘‘Chesty’’
Bannister used to bowl a lot and I think he was the captain and he used to bowl
himself all day and I’d probably get five overs and that was it. I’m probably a bit
sorry I went down there. They asked me to go down there. Ashley Hampstead
approached me at the Colts carnival. He was playing for Norths. The standard was
a click above what you’re used to. Even when I took Kyle down. It’s made him a
better cricketer because he can play an innings now whereas he used to throw it
away a bit.”
You’d make a good coach. ‘‘I looked after the juniors here for a while, mainly because Nath was starting.
I started him in Kanga cricket and then went through. I used to travel with them in
the under-12s, under-14s and under-16s. Same with Kyle. Nowadays I don’ really
have a lot to do with it. I still love going to watch a game even though I get bit itchy
when I’m watching. I’m going to go to a one-dayer with the boys one day. You
don’t get me to the big smoke mate. I get a bit daunted by Sydney. I’m a country
boy. Looking over your shoulder all the time. I watch too much TV or read too
many papers. I don’t know what it is.
“Every grand final win is good. Winning a comp with you kids is great. I’ve
won two with Nathan and Kyle. Still contributing and not being too old that I
looked silly. I regretted retiring, but glad I did in a way. I’m a hat on a stick now.
But I’d fill a hole. Once you retire you may as well retire. A win’s a win, doesn’t
matter when it was. Playing with the kids was probably a highlight. Not everyone
gets to do that. I hope Kevvie had the chance to play with Barry and Stevie. I can’t
remember if he did. But Kevvie had a lot do with my development.’’
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B
arry Hoy is the resident stalwart of the district side, among other things.
‘‘I started playing town cricket in 1976-77, somewhere around there, so
not quite up to the 30 years, but I think I’ll get there. I came into the inter-district
side in the early 1980s and have always been the ’keeper in the district side. I
probably did get better as I got older. I only did a little bit at school and then went
straight into it from there. It wasn’t because of the responsibility of captaincy that
I seemed to get better, I just learnt to concentrate.
“In my very first district game I came home with a golden duck. I’ve only got
the one ton in district, against Tenterfield in 1984. We’d won the Central North
rugby grand final the same year and then I went and played district cricket and
scored a ton and I thought this is a good year this bastard. I’ve got a few 80s and
90s as well.’’
Who have been the better cricketers around Walcha in your time? ‘‘You’ve got Normie [Goodwin] and Rob Blomfield. I just came in on the end
of him. He was bowling offies then. Determination-wise you’d have to put Truck
in there. Old Duke is always a hard competitor. Mark Schuhkraft was good. I
remember ’keeping one game to him and

We Play It Hard Around Here

Transcription

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